


A King Beside You

by stylinsoncity



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alien Harry, Alien Invasion, Alternate Universe - Apocalypse, Angst, Inappropriate Humor, M/M, Mechanic Harry, Pining, Single Parent Louis, Smut, Soulmates, Teacher Louis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-17
Updated: 2016-03-17
Packaged: 2018-05-27 00:42:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 25,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6262702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stylinsoncity/pseuds/stylinsoncity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the aliens invade, the last thing Louis expects is to fall in love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A King Beside You

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from What A Feeling by you know who... :)
> 
> Thank you [Jacky](http://dimpled-halo.tumblr.com/) for reading through this fic for me and helping me fix it up! And also for inspiring the title! 
> 
> Trigger warning for minor character deaths. The world is kind of ending so it's to be expected. =/
> 
> I feel it's my civil duty to take this opportunity to say that I truly believe Harry Styles is an alien. Friends, there's so much evidence. Now is the time to launch a formal investigation. Hit my tumblr up if you're with me.

Lily had Hannah’s curious brown eyes, her twitchy nose and pouty mouth. But her wispy caramel hair had come from Louis.

And maybe that was why she’d chosen to ruin it.

The first thing Louis noticed when she came trotting down the steps was the color _pink_.

Not a highlighter pink or a bright-enough-to-blind-you pink. It was more of a salmon color. Or a pastel? Louis didn’t know and he didn’t care. It didn’t matter right then because her hair was pink.

He glared at Hannah expectantly while his cotton-candy-headed daughter threw her sports bag into the boot of the car.

“ _Why_?” he asked.

Hannah shrugged. “It’s different.”

“I can bloody well see that. What was wrong with her hair before?”

Behind him, Lily huffed loudly, her arms crossed. “Can we go?” she said, tapping her trainers on the pavement. Louis didn’t budge. Lily sighed again and climbed into the passenger seat. She pulled her iPod out, tucked the earphones into her ears, and a second later, started bobbing her bubblegum head to the music.

Louis stood there, eager for an explanation as to how and when a bridge troll claimed his child right under his nose.

“She likes it that way,” Hannah said. “So do I.”

“You could have warned me first."

“You want me to ring you each time she changes her hair?” Hannah asked, her brows creased. “Really, Louis. Would you like text alerts on piercings too?”

“Maybe, yes,” Louis said. “How often is she planning on getting creative like this?”

Hannah sighed exactly the way Lily had. She stepped past him, tapping on the passenger window. Lily lowered the glass, plucking one of her earphones free.

“Did you remember to feed Robbie?” Hannah asked her.

Who the fuck was Robbie? Louis rubbed at the skin beneath his eyes where a migraine was beginning to build. “Who’s Robbie?” he asked.

“My snake,” Lily said dismissively. To her mum, she added, “I fed him. He’ll be fine.”

Right then— that was the moment Louis made an executive decision _not_ to care. He extracted himself from the conversation. Pink hair and snakes were about all he could handle in the span of five minutes. He crossed over to the driver’s side.

Hannah looked at him over the roof of the car. “Not even going to ask me how the baby’s doing?”

Louis froze before he could open the car door. “Shit, sorry,” he said. “How is he?”

“She,” Hannah corrected, frowning a little. Louis smiled sheepishly.

“She’s a handful and I’m out of practice,” Hannah added.

“Right, Susan, isn’t it?” Louis asked.

“After Pete’s mum, yeah,” Hannah said.

Louis shot a glance up at the house. The one he’d only lived in for 4 years and left behind many years ago. Now there were different people inhabiting the space that used to be his -- a new husband for his former wife, a new baby to cry in the night. It was all familiar and yet it couldn’t be stranger.

Louis sent Hannah a smile. “You’ll be fine. You handled our girl quite well,” he said.

“You aren’t being sarcastic, are you?” Hannah narrowed her eyes.

“For once, no. You’ve always been a great mum, you know that. Nothing’s changed."

“A lot has changed, Lou,” Hannah said. “But you’re right. We’ve both done pretty well.”

The car horn blared loudly, once, then twice. “I have football practice in twenty minutes,” Lily yelled through the window. “If I’m late, I’ll have to run extra laps. If I have to run extra laps, I’m not speaking to either of you ever again.”

Louis looked at Hannah, his brows raised. “You were saying?”

Hannah laughed. “She’s a proper peach, isn’t she?” she said, winking. “If I text you a random colour, it means the pink has gotten the boot.”

“Hopefully, you’ll text me brown. I liked the brown,” Louis said.

“The brown was nice,” Hannah agreed.

Louis smiled. “I’ll see you later.”

“Bye, Lou,” Hannah said, stepping away from the car when Louis ducked into the driver’s seat.

He started the engine and looked at his daughter. “Since when do you have a snake?”

Lily pulled her earphone from her ear. “What?”

Louis shook his head, buckling his seatbelt. “Never mind."

Lily turned and waved to her mum as they pulled away from the house, and then she promptly got back to her music. Meanwhile, Louis made a conscious effort not to stare at her head whenever they came to a stoplight.

He dropped her off for practice and parked in the lot near the pitch to wait until she was done, reclining his seat for a thirty-minute snooze. He slept forty minutes instead and woke up when the second alarm he’d set on his phone went off. He spent the next half hour grading one of his students’ papers until he was one run-on sentence away from losing his fucking mind. He plucked his glasses off and massaged his tired eyes.

He needed another nap. Or a drink. Both, really. The day seemed to be dragging on like dead weight, and it was far from over. He still needed to stop at the mechanic shop and have them take a look at the car. It’d been making a weird noise since last week and sometimes he had trouble braking. He hoped it was a minor problem, or in other words, an inexpensive problem.

And after that, there were more papers to grade and dinner to make for Lily later on.

And Louis just wanted an extended vacation.

A knock on the window jolted him out of his trance. Lily stood there in her uniform waiting for him to unlock the door.

“How was it?” Louis asked when she sank into her seat.

“Same as always,” Lily said. “No extra laps.”

“Good,” Louis said, starting the car. He pulled out of the car park.

“So, where do you want to stop for food?” he asked after they’d been driving for about five minutes. His question went unanswered and he glanced at her.

The iPod had reappeared. Lily had her head tilted back, eyes closed, drumming her fingers on her knee. Louis reached over, pulling one of the earphones from her ear, and she sat up, wide-eyed like Louis had made an attempt on her life.

“ _What_?” she said.

“Are you in need of sustenance?” Louis said deliberately.

“I ate already,” Lily said.

Louis’ brows creased. “What did you eat?” he asked.

“Why do you want to know?”

“Lily, just answer the question,” Louis said, trying to maintain his patience. Her sass was on new levels as of late. Coupled with the pink hair and the snake, he couldn’t deal with much more of it.

“A veggie burger,” Lily said. “Peter made it.”

Louis shook his head. There was a McDonald's coming up on his left. He made a quick turn into the car park, pulled into a space, and parked the car.

“Dad, what are you doing?” Lily asked.

“Buying you some chicken nuggets.”

“I don’t want chicken nuggets.”

“Ice cream then?”

“I don’t want ice cream.”

“An Oreo McFlurry?”

“I hate Oreos.”

“You do _not_.” Louis was beginning to wonder if he actually shared DNA with this girl. “Okay. How about an apple pie?”

Lily hesitated. She always did love those pies. “I don’t—”

Louis exhaled tiredly. “At least come inside with me?” he said, climbing out. “Come on. Do it for me.”

Lily grumbled unintelligible words as she unbuckled her seatbelt and exited the car, brushing her hands over her blue and white jersey shorts. Her pink hair was pulled up into two buns now but that didn’t make it any less overwhelming.

She let him buy her two apple pies, fries, and a soda. In terms of model parenting, Louis didn’t always meet the mark. But Pete had Hannah on a health craze as of late, and Lily could afford some McDonalds every now and then.

(His logic didn’t always meet the mark either. But anyway, who cared?)

“So how are you liking your new sister?” Louis asked, taking a bite of his Big Mac.

Lily shrugged. “She cries too much. But she’s cute, at least.”

“Tends to be the paradox of babies,” Louis said. “But in no time, she’ll be talking too much, and asking you questions, and looking to you for guidance.”

“Ugh, no. That makes me sound old,” Lily said.

Louis gave her a look. If she felt even marginally old, it meant Louis was ancient. Some days he woke up feeling like he was just 25, because he was on his own again in a pathetic sort of bachelor pad, and other days, he noted the increasing number of grey hairs on his head and remembered that 40 would be right around the corner in a few more years.

“I think you’ll live,” Louis said.

Lily sipped on her straw noisily. “Well, when it gets to be too much, I just go over to Sam’s house. No big deal.”

Louis’ mouth froze around his burger. “Sam?” he said.

Lily looked at him. “Yeah. Sam McCauley?”

“The kid who stole your bike?”

“That was when we were seven.”

“Well, whatever.” Louis drank some of his Coke. “Why’ve you been going to his house?”

Lily rolled her eyes. “’Cause he’s my boyfriend.”

Louis choked, making a sputtering sound like the one his car had been making lately. “ _Boyfriend_ ,” he repeated. “You’re only 14. Does your mum know?”

“Yeah,” Lily said.

"Does Peter know?" Louis asked.

Lily hesitated. "Yeah. I guess mum told him."

Louis scoffed.

Of course Peter knew.

Louis didn’t hate the man or anything. He wasn’t bitter about him essentially taking his place either, not when he’d given that place up willingly. But every now and then, it got hard not to feel replaced.

“I’d like to meet him sometime, your boyfriend. Now that he’s not stealing bikes and all,” Louis said.

Lily looked like she wanted to smile. She sipped more of her Coke instead. “What about you? Have you met anyone?” she asked after a second.

Louis wiped his hands on a paper napkin. “Nope,” he said. ”Not as lucky as you. Ready to go?”

Lily nodded, scooting out of the booth. They discarded their trash and headed back to the car.

“I know you’re probably too full to think about this but how do you feel about lasagna for dinner tonight?” Louis asked. “After I stop in at the mechanics, we can run to the store and—”

“I’m not staying over tonight,” Lily interrupted him. “I can’t. We’re going to take family pictures in the morning.”

Louis glanced away from the road, his brows furrowed. He adjusted his glasses. “Well, that wasn’t the plan,” he complained.

“I thought mum would have told you,” Lily said.

“She didn’t,” Louis said. Lily grew quiet again. She didn’t have her earphones in but there was nothing further to say. She stared out the window, seemingly at the sunlight casting kaleidoscope patterns through the trees.

Louis reached over and turned the radio up.

It was another ten minutes or so to the mechanic. At some point during the ride, Lily fell asleep, and Louis hummed quietly to himself the rest of the way there.

He finally pulled up into the car park of the small building. A row of garage doors stood open, occupied by cars, machinery, and a few uniformed mechanics.

The bell above the glass door rang when Louis stepped into the neat, air-conditioned office. A solitary desk sat to his right, while chairs, a flat screen, and a vending machine were to his left.

“Hello, sir, how can I help you?” the woman seated behind the desk asked.

“Yes, hi,” Louis stepped up to her. “Uh, I was wondering if I could have someone take a look at my car? It’s been making a weird noise. And I think something might be wrong with the brakes.”

“Oh, yes, you’re the one who called?” the woman said.

“That’s me. Earlier this morning. You must be Kate?”

“I am. And you’re Louis?” she said smiling. “I’ve got someone lined up to take a look at your car today. Just go on outside and drive into the garage. He’ll be waiting.”

“Alright. Thanks,” Louis said with one last smile. He headed back out, impressed already with the speedy service. He climbed back into the car where Lily was starting to snore.

He started the engine back up and looked toward the garage.

There was a boy standing there now. And even through the windshield and from the short distance, Louis could tell he was a stunner. His skin was golden and his hair was pulled into a bun but there was something about him, the way he stood, the way he waved for Louis to drive forward. It all piqued Louis’ interest straight away.

He drove the car up into the dimly lit garage, glancing at the boy as he did. He rolled his window down.

And the boy stepped up to the window and ducked down. “Hey,” he said.

So, yes, he was beautiful. His eyes were green like sea glass, the corners creased from a bright smile. The first two buttons of his uniform shirt were undone, revealing tanned skin, glistening a bit from sweat, and with just the edges of two tattoos peeking out.

Louis also took note of his nametag.

Harry.

“Louis, right?” he said. “I’m Harry.”

Louis licked his lips. “Hi,” he said, reaching to shut off his car.

Harry smiled. Louis fumbled a bit more for the keys. Why in the fuck was it so hard all of a sudden to control his hand?

He finally got a grip on them, turned them, and shut the car off.

“So, what’s been the problem with your car?” Harry asked.

“Uh, it makes noises,” Louis said. So eloquent. Harry raised a brow. “Like weird noises. Like it’s choking or something. And the brakes, they’re weird too.”

“Alright,” Harry said, nodding, his eyes slightly narrowed. “Why don’t I take a look under your hood?”

“Sure,” Louis said. “Should I stay in here or…?”

“You can step out if you want,” Harry said.

Louis popped his hood and stepped out of the car. Harry was leaning over, his hands braced on his hips as he surveyed the inner parts of the car. He reached in to check the level of anti-freeze and poked around a bit while Louis watched.

“How does it look?” Louis asked when Harry had said nothing for a while.

“Good so far,” Harry said. “Which isn’t so good.”

Louis raised a brow. “Okay?”

“Means the problem is more complicated.” Harry wiped his hands along his uniform trousers. “I’m gonna have to take a look underneath. We’ll have to hitch the car up, so…”

Louis glanced into the car at Lily. “Right. So we’ll wait in the office then?”

“Yes, please.” Harry smiled. “I’ll call you back when I’m finished.”

Louis nodded and then he went to wake his daughter.

They were seated in the office now. Louis was sort of watching the news on the television. Lily was texting, probably her boyfriend, you know, the one Louis had just found out about. He crossed his arms over his chest, shutting his eyes for a second, maybe for a quick nap.

“Oh my God…”

Louis’ eyes popped open. He looked at the secretary, whose mouth was hanging open, eyes wide and trained on the TV. Louis swung his gaze back toward the television and froze.

There was no way to describe that moment accurately. He’d watched enough science fiction movies and read enough books to have seen this exact scene play out in a fictional world. So there was a hiccup or a stutter in his ability to reconcile the actions on screen with his real, nonfictional life.

A large crimson banner at the top of the screen read Breaking News. The frame was divided by three panels, one for New York, one for London, and one for Moscow. And in each of those panels, in each of those major cities, there was a massive grey orb hovering in the sky. A mothership, Louis thought. Might as well call it like it is.

“Holy fuck,” Louis breathed. He remembered Lily beside him, but she wasn’t paying any attention to him. Her eyes were the size of flying saucers themselves.

“They seemed to just appear in the sky. No one saw them fly in. No one saw where they came from. They just materialized up there, large enough to block out the sun for miles.”

“Call your mum,” Louis said to Lily. She worked in London, while Pete took care of their new baby. Louis just wanted to be sure she was alright. He stood, ready to get his car and get out of there. No time to have the thing patched up at the onslaught of an alien invasion.

When he turned, he saw Harry, standing there. His eyes were also glued to the screen. But his expression was different. Not terrified or amazed. He didn’t look surprised at all. He looked...angry.

“As of right now, we’re being informed that some contact has been made, which confirms that there is some kind of intelligent life on these ships,” the reporter said. “We’re going to--”

Her voice buzzed and faded out. The screen went grainy, marked by zig-zag lines of colour and suddenly there was a warped figure on the screen, marred by static.

“Hello, Earth,” it said.

It sounded human, whatever it was. It could possibly even _be_ human, or about as close to human as something from outer space could get. No green form. No large black eyes.

The next line should have been “We come in peace” but it wasn’t.

“We come for the betterment of Earth,” It said. “We come to help. We do not wish for war or violence. We come to bring peace.”

Louis’ eyes narrowed. “Odd choice of words,” he mumbled.

“They’re lying,” Harry said, as if he heard him. Louis glanced at him.

“Partner with us. As we wish to partner with you,” the alien concluded.

And that was it. The screen cut back to the reporter, who was no longer looking at the screen but up at the orb in the sky behind her, which shimmered, shifted, and vanished completely.

“Hey,” Louis said to Harry, whose eyes were still fixed on the screen. His fist was curled.

Harry’s eyes snapped to him.

“I really need my car,” Louis said. “Given the circumstances.”

“Right,” Harry said. “You should be somewhere safe. You and your family. You should stay together.”

Louis nodded. “You think we’re all in danger then?”

“I know you are,” Harry said cryptically. You, not we. Also an odd choice of words. But that was the least of Louis’ worries. “Come with me. I’ll pull your car down from the lift.”

“Wait here,” Louis told his daughter.

She looked at him with frantic eyes, her phone pressed to her ear. “No service,” she mumbled.

Louis ran his hand through her pink hair. “It’s alright, babe. Wait here for me, okay?”

She nodded. He brushed his thumb over her cheek, turning toward Harry again, who was watching them with yet another unreadable expression. Louis followed him out, back into the garage.

“You should find a less populated area for you and your family,” Harry murmured, hand on the lever while he lowered the car on the lift. He glanced at Louis. “Just a suggestion.”

“Is that where you’re headed? Into the mountains?” Louis questioned.

“I said someplace less populated, not populated by wolves. Fastest way to die is to freeze to death or run out of food. Don’t go too far,” Harry advised him. Like he was an expert on alien invasions. Given all the nerdy shit Louis had read, he should have been too.

“You have a cylinder that’s come loose on the engine. Could also do with an oil change. And you’re low on coolant. It’s actually really good that you came in when you did. Could have blown your engine out completely,” Harry said. “If you decide to leave like you should, I wouldn’t recommend taking this car.”

Louis nodded. “Points for me then, bringing it in before the invasion.”

Harry huffed a little laugh, a dimple appearing in his left cheek. “I also think there might be a minor problem with your transmission. But I’d have to wait for the transmission guy to come in tomorrow to double-check. And you know, I doubt he will now.”

“You have a transmission guy?” Louis raised his brows.

“We do,” Harry said, smiling.

“And what kind of guy are you?” Louis asked. And yes, in fact, he _was_ flirting in the middle of an alien invasion. Shame? He’d never heard of it.

Harry’s eyes flickered over his face. “I’m more like the everything guy. I don’t specialize in any one thing ‘cause everything is special.”

“How noble of you,” Louis said.

Harry’s brows twitched. He leaned against the hood of Louis’ car. “I try.”

For a second, they were just looking at each other. Louis licked his lips. “So, I should bring it by tomorrow then?”

“No,” Harry said with a confused laugh. “You should find someplace safer to stay.”

“Right.” Louis nodded. “Will you be here tomorrow if I do decide to bring it back?”

He wasn’t just asking because Harry was fit. Harry was definitely fit. But also, Louis liked his car. He’d had the piece of junk since university. It’d seen him through multiple close calls and wild occurrences. And if humanity was at the brink of extinction, he wanted it with him.

Harry hesitated. And then he nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be here. Bring it by if you want. I’d do what I can.”

“Thank you.” Louis opened the front door of his car. “Should I ask for you or the transmission guy?”

“Me. Harry,” he said again like Louis might have forgotten or it wasn’t written on the front of his uniform shirt.

“I hadn’t forgotten,” Louis said, smiling. Someone should actually shove a sock down his throat to shut him up.

Harry’s brows creased a little but there was a smirk on his lips too. “Sorry I underestimated you.”

“Forgiven,” Louis said, shutting his car door.

Harry rested his hands on the window sill. “That easy, huh?”

Louis’ eyes fell to Harry’s smiling lips. “Pretty much,” he said. Their eyes locked and yeah, this was actually happening. He was flirting with the mechanic and the mechanic was flirting back. He took a breath, his eyes flickering downward. He reached for the gear shift and shifted into reverse. “Be safe tonight. If something goes down.”

“You too,” Harry said.

Louis lifted his hand in a wave and then he was pulling backwards, out of the garage. He honked the horn for Lily, and waited while she hurried to the car.

“Let’s go check on your mum,” Louis said.

 

ﾟ*･✧°:･ﾟ

 

David Cameron, Barack Obama, Vladimir Putin, and a whole slew of world leaders gathered together for an emergency conference that afternoon in Geneva, and the word on the street was that they made _contact_.

Later, they assured the citizens of the world that we were all safe. Our visitors were friendly and they had only come to share their knowledge and learn from us.

And so humanity exhaled a united sigh of relief.

Including Lily and Hannah, which Louis believed was mostly Peter’s doing.

“Think about it,” Peter shouted over the blender, loaded up with some purple concoction. “If the aliens made it here from however many light years away, they’re far more advanced than us. Think about all the technological advancements they have at their disposal. That they could share with us.”

And see, this was why he and Peter weren’t friends. Because that was exactly the thing that worried Louis most. When you encountered a superior race who could most likely squash you beneath their intergalactic boots, you didn’t invite that race for tea.

But Lily was calmer now after the news, and for that at least, Louis was grateful. He said his goodbyes, still a little bitter about her not spending the night with him. He saw very little of his daughter these days as is, and the thought of them taking family pictures without him bothered him more than he was ready to admit.

He texted Zayn and Niall to see if either of them wanted to have a pint. But they were both otherwise engaged, Zayn building some kind of bomb shelter, and Niall playing mini golf with friends from work.

“Government’s closed ‘cause of the aliens, mate. No work tomorrow,” Niall screeched, clearly drunk. “Come golf with us.”

“Gonna have to pass on that one,” Louis said, laughing. “Have fun though. Be safe.”

“We’re all safe,” Niall said, doing his best impression of the Prime Minister.

After their talk, the prospect of returning to an empty flat didn’t seem any less daunting. And he thought to himself that having a drink alone wasn’t the worst fate. No, technically, the worst fate was human annihilation.

He ended up at the bar across from his flat with not a beer but a tequila sunrise like a true middle-aged parent because he deserved it, and the plate of chips too. There was a lone guitarist onstage, crooning some tune in a soulful voice.

Louis found an empty booth and situated himself comfortably. He was lonely, for sure. And when he got lonely, he started thinking about the night he and Hannah broke things off with their four-year-old daughter asleep in her bed. He started thinking about how dating men hadn’t been successful in the years since then. As in, he’d only been on three dates in the last decade.

He thought about how the world might have been ending as he knew it and he would die never having a relationship he was truly pleased with or being with someone he truly loved.

All those thoughts led him to his second drink.

And when he was ready for the third, there was suddenly someone standing beside his table, sliding the glass onto the table for him.

Louis looked up and laughed softly. “Hello…”

“Hi,” Harry said with a grin. “Looked like you needed this.”

“I do.” Louis nodded. “Thank you very much.”

“Could I sit with you?” Harry asked.

Louis gestured to the empty booth. “Of course. Join me and my friends.”

A part of him died when he recited the words in his head. If Pity had a twin, it would look and talk like Louis.

Harry sat down beside him, still smiling with that ridiculous dimple, smelling fresh and looking it too. Louis was all for the mechanic look. The uniform and the forearms covered in tire grease made him want to ride Harry like a sixteen wheeler.

But this look--the clean white t-shirt and the glowing hair--this was nice too. There was a guitar case slung over his shoulder, which he removed and set beneath the table.

“So what happened to going someplace safe?” he questioned.

“A couple things,” Louis said. “First, David Cameron told us not to worry. Second, you know, in the event that the aliens want to wipe out humanity, there won’t be anywhere to run to. And third, I’d really like to get my car fixed.”

“Valid points, yeah. But you’re not safe. You don’t need to wait for the Prime Minister to say that. I think you know that yourself,” Harry said, taking a sip of his drink.

“What makes you think you know better than the Prime Minister?”

“Tell me this,” Harry said. “If these visitors came to wipe out humanity, do you think he would tell you?”

The answer was no. Louis didn’t have to think hard about that one. It was the same thing he’d been thinking all night. And he wanted to stop now. “What are you doing here anyway? By yourself?”

“Just finished playing a little guitar,” Harry said.

Louis’ eyes widened, the glass frozen at his mouth. “That was _you_ just now?”

Harry smiled. “It was. How did I do?”

“Um,” Louis began. He pondered for dramatic effect. “Amazing?”

Harry’s smile widened. He lifted his glass with a happy laugh. “Thank you,” he said before taking a sip.

“So, is being a mechanic just a side hustle?” Louis asked. “Are you looking to be a singer?”

“No, I like being a mechanic. And singing full time wouldn’t be a reasonable career. For me, at least. I like helping people,” Harry replied. “Fixing cars is just one way to do that.”

“You could help people by singing,” Louis said. He thought of something cheesy to tack on there, something about Harry’s voice saving the world, and then he thought better.

“Maybe,” Harry said simply. “What do you do?”

“I’m a teacher,” Louis said. “I teach literature mostly.”

“That’s amazing,” Harry said, studying Louis like he was genuinely impressed. The attention made his ears prickle. “I think everyone’s job is important in its own way. But education, especially. Civilizations live on through their literature.”

Louis glanced at his mouth as he spoke, for a second imagining how they would feel on his own or anywhere else on his body. “Exactly,” he said, tilting his glass to him in a salute.

They regarded each other quietly again.

Louis swiped his tongue over his bottom lip. “How old are you anyway?” he asked suddenly. The question was plaguing him.

“25,” Harry said. “You?”

Louis hesitated for a moment. “33,” he said. It was fine if Harry wasn’t interested in him now. Flirting with the mechanic was nice but it wasn’t meant to go anywhere.

“Then you must have a lover,” Harry said. “No way you’re still available.”

Louis laughed into his glass, his cheeks warming. “I’m very available.” God, his conscience was literally bawling. Did he know nothing of dignity? Self-preservation? “I’m divorced actually. I was married to a woman for about 3 years.”

“And then you realized you preferred men?” Harry questioned.

“No, I always knew that,” Louis said. “It was more that I realized I couldn’t ignore it. It stopped being just a preference.”

But that was another story for never.

“Anyway, what about you? No significant someone?”

“Not yet,” Harry said. “There have been someones. But none of them significant. When I find that person, I’ll know.”

Louis smiled. “Sounds like you’re talking about a soulmate.”

Harry took a careful sip of his drink before setting the glass down. “I am.”

His eyes were cast down at the table, clouded like with stardust. For an instant, he appeared like a portrait of luminescence. Light seemed to emanate from him, though Louis knew it wasn’t possible.

It was the tequila getting to him. It had to be.

He took another sip of his drink. “Have you checked in with your family?”

“No,” Harry said. “I don’t really have anyone to check in on, so…”

Louis nodded, the corners of his mouth turning down. He probably shouldn’t have asked. He drummed his fingers on the countertop and contemplated how much of an arse he’d seem if he left now. The school was closed tomorrow but he had papers left to grade.

“What’s the deal with your car?” Harry said suddenly.

“Huh?”

“I mean, no offense. But in the middle of a global crisis, I think most people would just leave it behind,” Harry said. “You seem pretty adamant about keeping it.”

Louis laughed. He set his glass down with a sigh. “It’s a long story,” he warned.

Harry leaned close across the table, a vibrant, floral fragrance drifting off of him. The neck of his shirt swooped low, hinting at tattoos beneath his collarbones. His pink lips curved into a smile. “I’m listening,” he said.

Louis’ eyes darted all over Harry’s face. “Um…” he began, after a breath. “Well, one year while I was in university, I forgot to pay my housing lease. So I didn’t have a place to stay for a week while they sorted out paperwork and processed my payment. And I was too ashamed to tell my friends or my mum. So I lived in the car.”

Harry pressed his lips together in an effort not to laugh. The dimple gave him away. “How sad,” he murmured.

“I _also_ got arrested driving in that car,” Louis said.

Harry’s brows arched high. “Go on.”

Louis grinned, preening under the attention. He always did love telling a good story. He leaned closer too, elbows atop the table. “So, we got pulled over. I was drunk and my friend was driving the car for me. And this fucking arse of a cop-- he pulls us over and basically tries to accuse my friend, Zayn, of stealing the car. He was clearly a racist bastard so I told him so.”

Harry laughed, biting into his bottom lip. “You called the cop a racist bastard?”

“Among other things, yes,” Louis said. He shrugged. “Had to be done. So then he tries to arrest me and my friend both. And I _really_ let ‘m have it.”

Harry covered his mouth with his hand, quiet laughter sputtering through his fingers.

“Next thing I know, I’m bent over my car with cuffs slapped on my wrists and that’s it,” Louis said. “They let my friend go but I spent the night in jail and then they released me without any charges. Which is good for my being a teacher and all.”

“You’re amazing,” Harry said.

Louis rolled his eyes. “I try to be.”

“What else have you got?” Harry asked. “In the car?”

Louis wrinkled his nose as he thought. “Um, first blowjob?”

There was no missing the way Harry’s eyes darkened then, his eyelids hooding and casting shadows over his irises. “Yeah?”

Louis nodded. “Mhm,” he said. “Receiving _and_ giving.”

Harry ran his fingers over his bottom lip idly. “At the same time?” he asked quietly.

Louis set his chin on his fist, fingers of his other hand circling the rim of his glass. “Yes.”

“Seriously?” Harry questioned, his voice a squeak.

“In the back seat, yeah,” Louis said, glancing at Harry’s parted mouth. “You sound surprised. I’m a pretty creative person.”

Harry winced, like the words stung, like they caused him physical pain. He looked at Louis intently and Louis felt his eyes on the column of his neck and his collarbones, easing down his chest. He squeezed his thighs together, trying to tame the twitch of interest from his dick.

He’d graduated from flirting with the mechanic to apparently seducing him. If asked, Louis would show Harry the back seat of his car now. He thought the minx of his university days had died, and yet...

“I can imagine…” Harry said, his voice hoarse. He took a gulp of his drink and set the glass down with a thud.

Louis waited for something else. He didn’t know how this worked anymore. It’d been too long since he’d hooked up with anyone. The signals were lost on him. Was it the flicker of Harry’s eyes? Or the swipe of his tongue across his lips? He didn’t know.

“I have to go,” Harry said suddenly.

It definitely was not that. Louis blinked. “Oh.”

“I’m sorry,” Harry said, standing, shuffling out of the booth. He lifted his guitar case.  “Um.”

He looked at Louis, face all wrinkled in confusion. Odd because if anyone was confused, it was Louis. “I’m sorry,” Harry said again, swiping his wallet off the table. “Bring your car by tomorrow. I’ll fix it up.”

And then he turned and strolled out of the club.

Now, again, Louis was no expert on flirting or seducing. But if he had to take a lucky guess, he’d say that hadn’t gone quite like it was supposed to.

 

ﾟ*･★°:･ﾟ

 

Maybe the world _should_ end. Maybe then Louis could stop thinking about the previous night and his absolute failure at getting laid. Maybe then his embarrassment would die too.

His first thought that morning was Harry, and almost every thought after that point was Harry too. He pulled the duvet up over his head, shutting out the sunlight flooding his room, and considered lying there for the rest of the day.

Turned out he was a masochist.

A little after lunch time, he ended up in his car, freshly showered, neatly dressed, and on route to Kwik Fit. This was about his car, not him. This was merely a sacrifice he had to make. He pulled up to the garage, spotting Harry right away. He flipped the visor down, checked his fringe, ignored the bags beneath his eyes, and hopped out.

He lifted his hand to wave.

“Thought you weren’t coming,” Harry said to him, setting the rag in his hands down atop a tool cabinet.

“Got a late start today, so.” Louis looked around. “Are you the only one here?”

“Yeah. We’re technically closed,” Harry said.

“Did you come in just for me?” Louis said with a disbelieving laugh.

“Yes,” Harry replied easily.

Louis looked away, clearing his throat. “Um, so I guess, should I pull it in or…?”

“Yeah,” Harry said.

Louis nodded, climbing back into the car. He shifted it to drive and pulled the car into the garage. He hopped out, tossing his fringe away from his eyes again.

“How long do you think it’ll take?” Louis asked.

“I’ll work on it today. Should have most of the issues fixed by tomorrow. The transmission will have to wait until my coworker comes back,” Harry said. “And I’m not sure he will.”

“Well, thank you for your help,” Louis said. He licked his top lip. “You’re alright, yeah? You kind of worried me last night…”

He saw Harry’s Adam’s apple bob. “Yeah. I just-- Remembered there was something I had to take care of. So…”

Sure.

He could have just said he wasn’t interested, or he had someone already, or Louis just came on too strongly. Any of those things would have been better than blatantly lying.

“Alright,” Louis said, looking down at the tops of his Vans. He waved toward his car behind him. “Well, I’m entrusting my baby to you, so. Take good care of it and all.”

“Will do,” Harry said. He was doing that thing again, looking at Louis like he was a starving man and Louis was the last piece of bread on earth. And Louis didn’t understand that at all. He swiped his fringe out of his eyes, his cheeks and ears warming.

“Keys?” Harry asked.

“Yup,” Louis said, lifting the keys and depositing them in Harry’s hand. Their palms brushed and then their eyes flickered to meet. Harry’s narrowed into slits and he closed his hand around Louis’.

Louis glanced at their hands. He only had a second to do so before Harry yanked him forward.

Their mouths met in a hot, hissing kiss.

Harry backed him into the car, pressed his body to his and pushed his tongue past Louis’ lips. Not once, not ever, had Louis been kissed like this. He felt Harry’s hands on every part of his body, his back, his hips, and his bum, curving around both cheeks to cup them firmly.

Louis dug his fingers into Harry’s forearms when he needed air and Harry drew back, only to drop his mouth to Louis’ neck and suck firmly.

“Oh my God,” Louis gasped, his gaze swinging toward the garage door. “We can’t be doing this. _Harry--_ ”

“We can,” Harry murmured, his tongue lathing over Louis’ skin. Louis’ cock twitched in his trousers, and then Harry’s thigh was against his crotch, grinding into his erection. Louis pressed his fist to his mouth to stifle a moan.

“Okay. Oh my god, we have to stop,” Louis panted. “Harry, we have to stop. You’re going to get fired.”

True, there was no one else there. But security cameras were a thing, and someone could always pop in.

Their mouths ended up together again. Louis pushed his hand into Harry’s hair and yanked backwards. Harry’s eyes rolled shut. He bit into his bottom lip and groaned. Definitely not the reaction Louis had been aiming for.

“Fucking Christ,” Louis breathed. He released Harry’s hair and held him back at arm's length. “Stop.”

Harry licked his lips, taking a deep breath. “Sorry. I’m sorry. I thought...”

“We can’t do this _here_ ,” Louis explained.

Harry swallowed, turning that over in his head. “But we can do it somewhere else?”

“I mean, preferably inside. Like in a place of residence, but yes.”

“Then…” Harry shoved his hair back. “Do you want to take me home with you?”

Louis considered all the different answers he could give Harry, oblivious or obtuse ones. But he wasn’t in the mood to play games.

“I do,” he said.

“Okay,” Harry breathed. “Fuck. Okay, I have my car with me. We’ll leave yours here.”

He took Louis’ hand, his skin so hot it nearly burned. He pulled Louis along toward his little red car. He opened the door for him and ushered him into the passenger seat, and as Louis sat there, watching Harry round the front of the car, he had the startling realization that he was taking this person home to have sex with him.

It was like his first year of university all over again but a million times more exciting.

Harry set his hand possessively on Louis’ thigh as he drove, his fingers stroking the seam of Louis’ jeans. It made it hard to focus on giving him directions. And the farther they got, the higher Harry’s hand climbed. Until it was right there, curved between Louis’ thigh and his crotch. His pinky brushed Louis’ erection.

Miraculously, they finally parked and climbed out hastily. Louis fumbled with his keys and Harry took the opportunity to rattle him further, pressing his mouth to the back of Louis’ neck and mouthing at his skin.

“I have neighbours,” Louis murmured.

“They’ll probably know what we’re getting up to then,” Harry said.

Louis shook his head, finally pushing the key into the lock, and shoving the door open.

“After you…” he said, gesturing inside.

Harry slipped his hands into his pockets and strolled into the flat, taking a careful look around. “This is nice. Cozy.”

“Thank you,” Louis said, setting his keys on the table by the door.

Harry lifted his brows. “So?”

“So?” Louis said.

“Can I take off your jeans?”

Louis inhaled, held that breath, and let it go. “I mean, yeah, sure.”

Harry smiled and stepped forward, reaching for the button of Louis’ jeans. He popped them open.

Louis stepped out of his Vans and kicked them away. He let his arms dangle at his sides, cracking his knuckles, wiggling his fingers. He swallowed the lump in his throat, forced himself to look up and meet Harry’s gaze.

“You don’t— do you want something to drink first?”

Harry shook his head. A smile flickered across his face. He dragged Louis’ jeans down to his ankles swiftly, pressing a kiss to his thigh as he made his way back up to him, fingertips raising goosebumps as they travelled up the back of his leg.

“I think I’m good,” Harry said, sliding his hands around Louis’ waist to grasp his bum. He pressed a kiss to his neck, his jaw, just below his ear. He lifted his hand to cup Louis’ jaw and brushed his thumb over his bottom lip. “I want to fuck you.”

“Jesus,” Louis breathed, eyes shutting as Harry leaned in.

“And I want to make you do that again, call on your God a few more times before we’re through,” Harry said. And then he kissed him, full lips firm on Louis’. Louis didn't even get a chance to tell him that he wasn't religious. Right from the start, they were both too desperate to be embarrassed, although Louis felt like he should be. He felt outmatched by this kid, who was nearly a decade younger than him.

Harry’s chest was warm against his own. His whole body felt powerful, like it was thrumming with current. Louis reached for the bottom of Harry’s uniform shirt and tugged, waited until Harry pulled back to work the buttons open and slide it off his shoulders. He dropped it on the floor, eyes running over Harry’s chest and stomach.

Their mouths met again. Louis stroked Harry’s face as they kissed, stroked Harry’s tongue with his own. Harry urged Louis’ arms around his neck and reached down to cup the back of his thighs, and hoisted him up all in one smooth motion, and pressed him against the wall. His warm hands spread securely on Louis’ bum.

“Wow,” Louis panted. “You’re really- you’re something.”

Harry laughed. “I’m taking everything you say as a compliment,” he murmured. “You sound so pretty I have to.”

“Such a sweet talker. You know just what to say, don’t you?” Louis said.

“If I do, believe me, it’s not from practice. I don’t sweet talk many people,” Harry said, nipping gently at Louis’ earlobe.

“Who is it then? Besides me?” Louis questioned.

“The old ladies at the yoga studio. They all find me charming,” Harry supplied.

“Oh, God,” Louis groaned. “You’re an angel.”

Harry smiled. “Not quite.” He pulled away from the wall and started off toward the bedroom. Louis ran his hands down Harry’s smooth back. He couldn’t get his hands on enough places, not before they made it to Louis’ room and Harry lowered them both to the bed, settling securely between his legs.

“So fucking gorgeous,” Harry said quietly. He pulled back to look at him. The bulge in his briefs was more prominent now. Louis just wanted to see him. He wasn’t sure he could take him but he needed to see.

“Take your pants off,” he said.

Harry dragged his mouth down the centre of Louis’ body, over his stomach, and then over the swell of his cock beneath his cotton briefs, sucking softly on him and dampening the material. Louis moaned softly, his legs falling open wider.

Harry shuffled off the bed and pushed his pants down to the floor. He straightened to his full height, chin lifted, allowing Louis a moment to simply look at him and his fucking marvel of a cock.

“You look like you’ve been carved from marble,” Louis decided. He spread his palm out on Harry’s abs. “Except that you’re warm. And soft too. How is that possible?”

Harry smiled, leaning in. No answer to give because perhaps, there wasn’t an answer available. He leaned over Louis’ body and pressed their mouths together again, rocking his hips down between Louis’ legs and they both groaned into each other’s mouths.

“Do you have lube?”

Louis nodded, pointing toward the bedside drawer. If Harry noticed his purple dildo while he was searching, he said nothing.

“Nice dildo.”

Or so Louis thought. “Thanks,” Louis said, his cheeks warming.

“Promise I’ll be gentle,” Harry said, leaning in to drop a few more kisses on Louis’ chest.

“You can also be rough,” Louis told him.

“Noted,” Harry said, easing his hand beneath Louis’ knee, holding his legs apart. He pressed a kiss to his inner thigh and sucked gently, descending toward Louis’ groin. He nipped and licked his way between Louis’ legs until he was right there. He dragged Louis' briefs over his legs and tossed them to the floor, chest sinking with a deep breath as his eyes traced Louis’ body.

He leaned in again and his broad tongue met the base of Louis’ cock and he licked upwards generously.

“Fuck,” Louis breathed, turning his face toward his mattress. He heard the snick of a bottle and felt the damp tip of Harry’s finger at his taint and twisted his own fingers in his duvet, waiting for it, for the moment Harry pressed into him. And then it came, achingly slow. It seemed like forever passed between the moment Harry fucked him with one finger and the moment he did it with two.

“Taking your sweet time,” Louis murmured like he wasn’t dizzy just from this.

“Why would I want to rush?” Harry countered.

And it shouldn’t have been possible for Louis to blush about that, given their current positions, but he did.

Eventually, though, Harry had three of his beautiful fingers sliding into Louis and Louis threw his arms around Harry’s neck, rutting down on them. He yanked on Harry’s curls again and Harry groaned into his mouth.

“That's enough,” Louis said. “Fuck me.”

Harry whipped his fingers free, scrambling for a condom. So much for not rushing. He lubed himself up like the devil was on his heels, and positioned himself between Louis’ thighs again and he pushed into him without pause.

“Keep going,” Louis told him.

Harry pressed his palms into the mattress on either side of Louis’ head and worked his hips forward until they were flushed to his bum. He stretched him well, so well Louis felt him everywhere. Harry lifted his hips off the bed, pulled out, and pushed in again, his head tilted back, long hair tumbling down his back. “Incredible,” he breathed.

Louis ran his hand down Harry’s chest, over his copious tattoos. “Yeah."

“Even better than I thought,” Harry murmured.

“Oh, yeah?” Louis breathed. “You’ve been thinking about this?”

“Dreaming about it too. Last night, I dreamt about bending you over that table in the bar like I wanted to,” Harry said. “Or in the back of your car.”

He wrapped his lips around Louis’ nipple and lathed his tongue over the bud.

“Would’ve let you,” Louis confessed breathlessly.

Harry rocked his hips forward, his long hair falling over his face and brushing Louis’ cheeks. Louis reached up to push it back. “Harder,” he begged.

“Want to bend you over first, baby,” Harry said, pulling out completely. He turned Louis over with ease, tugged his hips up and into position, and pushed into him again, hips meeting Louis’ bum audibly.

“ _Fuck_ ,” Louis cried out when Harry’s cock hit his spot head on. He pressed his face into his mattress, tangling his fists up in his sheets. “Fucking hell.” Harry dug his fingers into Louis’ hips, guiding him back to meet him each time he fucked forward. Louis spread his legs wider and reached for his own cock. Before he got close, Harry slapped his hand away.

“Mine,” he said. Well, fuck. He wrapped his arm across Louis’ chest and pulled him up so that their torsos met. His other hand snaked around Louis’ waist for his cock. “Want you to come all over my hand.”

Louis turned into a ragdoll, surrendering himself to Harry’s arms. He let his head recline on Harry’s shoulder and his eyes slipped shut and he came with a soft moan. He tilted his head to the side for a kiss, which Harry happily granted him before he parted to suck his own fingers clean. Then he was pushing Louis back into the mattress and grinding against his bum.

“Come on, baby,” Louis breathed, reaching back to pet Harry’s thigh.

Harry groaned, leaning over Louis’ body. He went tense, holding Louis’ bum against his hips as he came. His hair fell over Louis’ shoulder. Louis reached a hand up and stroked the curls.

“Amazing,” he sighed, resting his head on his mattress. He felt Harry’s lips against his shoulder blade and the back of his neck. Harry pulled out gently and turned them over, their mouths meeting right away.

A low rumbling sounded in the room and they both looked down at Harry’s stomach.

“Sexy,” Louis decreed, chuckling.

Harry snorted, dropping his head to Louis’ shoulder. “Don’t tease me. I haven’t had lunch.”

“We should fix that,” Louis said, brushing his thumb over Harry’s dimple. He slapped his bum. “Come on. Release me so I can make you a sandwich.”

Harry rolled off his body, disposed of the condom and then followed him out to the kitchen.

There was no mistaking the ache Louis felt in his bum but he loved it. He started a sandwich while Harry had the decency to slip on his pants before sitting on Louis’ bar stool.

Louis gave him a bowl of dry cereal to munch on while he worked. “Snack on that.”

Harry eyed the cereal suspiciously. “Cocoa Puffs?”

“Yes. Also known as God’s greatest gift to man,” Louis said, slathering mayo on a slice of bread. “Turkey or ham? My daughter likes both.”

Harry smiled. “Both,” he said.

“Smart lad,” Louis reported.

“Where is your daughter anyway?” Harry asked.

Louis shrugged. “With her mum? They went to take family portraits today,” he said snippingly. “Not that I care.”

“Do you?” Harry questioned.

Louis cut the sandwich diagonally and placed in on a plate. He slid it across the counter toward Harry and adjusted his fringe. “A little,” he admitted. “I don’t know. I don’t mind missing out on all the conventional family stuff. I’ve never really wanted that anyway. But I think it’s cost me a lot of time with my kid. And yeah, I care about that a lot. My dad wasn’t the most swell, you know? I’ve never wanted to be that person.”

He exhaled a breath, telling himself to stop babbling. Harry was just looking at him steadily, his focus unwavering, metaphorical canine ears perked.

“You seem like a great father to me. From what I’ve seen,” Harry said, lifting a wedge of his sandwich. “Which isn’t much but I think that’s the point. If even a stranger can detect that you’re doing well, I think that counts for something.”

He took a bite and munched, lips curving in a smile.

Louis’ heart was misbehaving, thumping faster than it was supposed to. “Want a beer?” he asked.

“Sure,” Harry said.

Louis turned to his fridge and extracted a beer for Harry. He didn’t miss how Harry’s eyes darted upward when he faced him again. And he hadn’t been conscious of it before but he was still very naked.

He went over to the front door, knowing Harry was watching him along the way. He pulled on Harry’s uniform shirt, which was slightly bigger on him and covered his cock. Harry watched him waddle back to the kitchen, his mouth frozen around his sandwich.

“Were you putting on clothes for modesty? Because this is much, _much_ worse,” Harry said.

Louis shrugged. “I think it suits me,” he said.

“It does,” Harry agreed.

Louis smiled smugly. He took Harry’s leftover cereal, added some milk, and ate that while Harry finished his sandwich. He joined him on the neighboring barstool, swinging his legs side to side until his ankle ended up around Harry’s. Something in the recesses of his mind told him to slow down. It told him that soft touches led to the heart, and that he was directing Harry there too quickly.

He couldn’t help it. Just as he couldn’t help it when they were cleaning dishes afterwards and Harry nudged his cock against his bum, hard and energized again. Or when Harry slipped into the room for the lube and the condoms. Or when he bent Louis over the countertop and had him again. And had him sprawled atop the counter too. And had him against the fridge. And then the kitchen floor…

Self-control just wasn’t a thing Louis practiced religiously.

They lay panting and breathless on the couch, curled up like question marks. And then Louis murmured, lips pulled into a grin, “You’re not even human.”

He felt Harry tense. There was no mistaking the way his muscles locked up. It almost felt as though his body grew cold. And Louis, of course, tensed too, the air drawing out of the room until he swore he couldn’t breathe.

He sat up and looked at Harry, finding his eyes widened. Louis’ brows furrowed.

“How did you know?” Harry said.

Louis’ brain slowed to an audible stop. Both of them froze and stared at each other. The thing was that he'd grown up with Zayn and Niall. He was accustomed to practical jokes and one-liners. He told plenty himself. Which meant he also knew when a person _wasn't_ joking. Like right now. Like with Harry.

And then Louis was scrambling right off the couch.

“Holy shit!” he shouted, shuffling back toward the front door. “Holy shit. Are you not human?”

Harry sat upright. He lifted both hands into the air, fingers spread in a show of peace. “Please, let me explain.”

“Oh my God,” Louis gasped. He pushed his hand into his hair, yanking on the roots. “Are you--? What are you? Are you an alien?”

“I’m not a fan of the term,” Harry said. “There are people born here who seem more alien than me.”

“But _you_ weren’t born here?” Louis clarified. “On Earth?”

Harry licked his lips and gave a small shake of his head. “No, I wasn’t.”

“Holy fucking shit,” Louis gasped, then whispered, “I just fucked an alien.”

He started pacing, his hand pressed to his mouth. He realized suddenly that he’d been putting his back to him and whirled around, reaching for the umbrella leaning against his bookshelf. He wielded it like a baseball bat.

Harry scoffed. “You’re being hysterical.”

Louis pointed the umbrella at him, eyes narrowed. “Don’t call me hysterical when a few hours ago, three fucking motherships came hovering in the sky like a bloody fleet. Are you with them?”

Harry stared at him imploringly.

Louis exhaled like fire from a dragon. “You have two seconds to answer me before I kick your E.T. ass.”

He wasn’t sure he could actually do it. But in a war to save humanity, he would absolutely try. “One second,” he said.

“Not technically,” Harry said, hands still raised in surrender. “I’m from the same planet, yeah. But I left years ago.”

“Why?” Louis asked. He could not believe he’d just fucked an alien. He could not believe he’d just had mind-blowing sex with an alien.

“I didn’t like the things they were proposing for our future.”

“Like what?”

Harry implored again with his gaze. Louis’ heart sunk. Before he even had an answer he knew it wouldn’t be good.

“Tell me,” he said anyhow.

Harry sighed, pushing his hair back. “Like taking over other planets, for one. Like coming here.”

Definitely not benevolent beings then. “ _Fuck_ ,” Louis hissed. “Fuck, I have a _daughter,_ Harry. Are there not families on your planet? Children? Or do you just not care about the ones here?”

“I care very much,” Harry said. “Earth is dying, Louis. At a very, very rapid rate. It’s down to a matter of months.”

Louis rolled his eyes. “That’s just the kind of shit an alien would say to get us all to jump ship. I bet you’re going to offer us a better shinier place to live. We accept, board your space ships there, and you either dump us in a black hole on the way or the new planet turns out to be a disaster. I’ve read fucking science fiction novels.”

“Louis, please. You have to listen to me,” Harry pleaded.

“That’s what _you_ think, yeah. Because you and your people have advanced weapons and shit, right? Well, guess what? We always win. Human beings always fight back and we always win.”

“I hate to break it to you,” Harry said, dropping his hands. “But this isn’t a novel. You don’t win here. There aren’t any winners at all. Your race dies. Mine prospers as murderers. We all lose.”

Louis shook his head. He paced toward the door and then back. “I want you to leave,” he said, pointing with his umbrella.

“Louis, please.”

“Please what? Say it louder?” Louis questioned. “I want you to _leave_. Now. Right now. Also, for your information, it’s custom here on earth to inform your sexual partners that you may or may not be human.”

Harry actually blushed and for maybe two seconds, Louis actually felt sorry for him. And then the two seconds expired.

“Harry, leave now!” Louis said.

Harry climbed off the couch, found his pants and pulling them on. “I’m sorry,” he said, as he tugged on his jeans. He pulled his shirt over his head and walked toward the front door. Louis dropped his gaze while Harry shoved on his shoes and he tried not to listen when the door shut behind him.

 

ﾟ*･✩°:･ﾟ

 

“I came to rescue my car,” Louis said, thumbing the lever of his taser.

“Is that a taser?” Harry questioned.

“Yes,” Louis said plainly. “And I’m ready to use it at any second.”

“That’s not going to work,” Harry said. “Human weapons don’t work on us, at all.”

Great. “We’ll see about that,” Louis said. “I need my car and my keys. And I need them now.”

“It’s all fixed, by the way,” Harry mumbled.

Louis blinked, caught off guard by that note of kindness. “Thanks, I guess,” he said unsurely.

“You’re welcome,” Harry said. He dropped the wrench in his hands on the ground with a loud clatter and stood up. He walked to the wall of keys and started sorting through them.

“I’m sorry, Louis,” he said softly.

Louis clenched his jaw. “I have to drop my daughter at a dentist’s appointment. I need you to make this quick.”

Harry sighed, selecting a set of keys and tossing them Louis’ way. Louis caught them against his chest and inspected them.

“I never intended to get involved with you at all. Or anyone,” Harry said. “But you were different. You’re just--”

“Don’t,” Louis said. “Don’t say anything sweet or charming. It’s not going to work. Bring my car down from the lift, please and thank you.”

Harry walked over to the lever and set his thumb on the button of the lift. The car started to descend. “You humans lack diplomacy,” he muttered to himself.

“Sorry, what?” Louis’ eyes nearly popped out of his head. “We do? When you’re the ones here to kill us?”

“Not everyone on my planet agrees with the choices of those in leadership.”

“Since you know our language so well, you ever heard of democracy? As in electing the leaders you want so they don’t make decisions you don’t condone? Like, I don’t know, mass murder?”

Harry released the button and the car halted. “Just so you know, you didn’t invent the English language or any language. There are very few things earthlings have created on their own. There are planets all over the solar system, with races far more advanced, races who have visited earth before, some of whom are here now.”

“Oh, did they come to wipe us out too?”

“Like I said, not everyone condones the decisions of a few. The ones that know are evacuating earth. Before the situation deteriorates further.”

“Whatever, Harry,” Louis said, ignoring the part of his brain shooting off alarm canons and flares. “Just get my car down.”

“Let me help you,” Harry said suddenly, an edge of desperation to his voice

Louis groaned. “Jesus, just give me my bloody car.”

“Please, Louis?”

Louis marched over to the lift, elbowing Harry out of the way, which was probably not his smartest move, and reached for the button himself.

Before he could even extend his thumb, bright light exploded in the space of the garage, nearly blinding him. Strong fingers closed around both of his wrists and he was yanked backward and pushed to his knees.

“Stand down,” he heard. Harry, definitely. “Let him go _now_.”

Louis dropped his hands to the ground when his wrists came loose. He glanced around for his taser but could hardly see. He felt an arm wrap around his waist and tug him up.

“Are you alright?” Harry asked, his voice at Louis’ ear.

“No,” Louis said, shoving him away. “I can’t fucking see.”

“Just give it a moment. Louis, please calm down. I’m here,” Harry said, reaching for him again. “You’re safe.”

Biggest overstatement of the year.  Although oddly enough, Harry’s voice eased over Louis’ mind like cool water and somehow, while he knew he wasn’t safe, he did feel it. Steadily, his vision cleared, and he held onto Harry’s shirt in a tight fist while it did, listening to his voice like a lullaby in his ear.

_You’re alright. I’m here. You’re safe._

Finally, he blinked and glanced around the room with clear eyes. “Fucking hell.”

There were about ten other beings in the room. Human? Louis guessed not. One in the center of them all had the appearance of a woman, wearing fitted black trousers, a black blazer, and leopard print heels. Her hair was pulled into a half bun and the rest of her brown locks tumbled over her shoulders.

“What a vulgar human,” she said, and Louis couldn’t see her eyes beyond her sunglasses, but he surmised that she was looking at him.

All around her were men clad in military garb -- bright pink fatigues and gold helmets. One was standing close to Louis.

“Back off,” Harry told him. And he _listened_ , taking several steps away. Odd.

“This is so unnecessary,” Harry said to the woman. “I asked you to stop watching me.”

“And yet the human tried to attack you,” the woman replied.

“He wasn’t attacking me. He wouldn’t hurt anyone.”

Louis snorted. “Fucking guess again.”

The woman pushed her glasses up into her hair. And the resemblance was stark.

“I hoped I’d raised you better than this. The company you keep is concerning,” she said.

Definitely Harry’s mum.

“I don’t need you to be concerned for me,” Harry said. “As I’ve said, a million times.”

Beside her was another man, taller and younger looking, also dressed in the pink with an elegantly styled quiff. He bowed his head, slightly.

“Hello, Nick,” Harry said.

“Prince Hershel…” Nick began, his eyes on Harry. Louis’ head recoiled at the word. “Your family and friends miss you terribly. We wish you would come back with us.”

“I’m sorry, _who?_ ” Louis squeaked. Prior to that moment, he’d allowed Harry to hold him and stroke the back of his neck comfortingly. And now his good senses kicked into gear once more. He pulled away from Harry completely. “Prince who? Who’s a prince?”

“Please allow me to explain,” Harry said, reaching for him.

“Don’t…” Louis started.

And then Harry was touching him, his hands cupping Louis’ elbows and again, Louis’ vision blurred and brightened. His fingers grappled for something to hold onto. Just as quickly as it began it was over. Louis felt solid ground beneath his feet and saw Harry in front of him.

But instead of the garage, they were surrounded by trees. A little house stood just ahead of them, surrounded by rose bushes.

Louis scrambled backward, grasping for a tree to lean against..

“What the fuck,” he wheezed. “Did you just cast some alien magic on me?”

“I don't have alien magic,” Harry said. “I teleported. I needed to diffuse the situation...”

“So you _teleported_ me?” Louis’ eyes went wide. “Do you hear yourself when you talk? Or does it just sound like a series of explosive farts to your ears?”

Harry pouted. “That was kind of mean.”

Louis tilted his head back, peering up at the sky. “I don’t deserve this shit. I teach children. I pray sometimes. I’m a fucking good person.”

“You’re an amazing person,” Harry said. “Which is why I want to help you.”

“I don’t even know who or what the fuck you are,” Louis said. “You just brought me to God-knows-where.”

“This is where I live in London. I’m a prince from the planet Halcyon. I have a sister. A mum and a dad, just like you. I like fixing cars. I like yoga,” Harry shrugged. “I don’t know what else there is to say.”

Louis didn’t want to know these things about him. He didn’t want a reason to care. The worst part was the spark of curiosity he felt and the desire to know more.

“Take me back,” he said. “Now. Take me back.”

“Louis…” Harry pleaded.

“If you care about me at all, you’ll take me back. And you’ll let me go,” Louis said.

“You’re not my captive,” Harry said earnestly.

“No,” Louis agreed. “I’m not. So take me back.”

They studied each other for a moment. Harry’s shoulder sank and he hung his head like a pitiful schoolboy. Louis refused to feel sorry for him.

Harry took his arm again, gently. Louis held onto his jacket and shut his eyes this time. He felt dizzy for only a matter of seconds before everything was still again.

The soldier looking dude was back beside him. He took a step close and Harry’s gaze snapped to him. “I said back off,” he told him. He looked around the room. “All of you.”

Louis took the moment of distraction to look for his taser. But he had a sneaking suspicion that it’d been confiscated. It was lost to him now.

“I’m taking my car right now,” he said, jamming his thumb onto the lever. The lift started to descend again. He looked at Harry. “And you, stay away from me. Away from my family. Don’t call me. Don’t pretend to care. I don’t want any part of this.”

The wheels of his car touched the ground. Louis went to the front, popped the driver's door open, and climbed in.

“Tell your friends to move out of the way or I’m mowing them down,” Louis said, switching the gear into reverse. Harry must have given the order. Or maybe these alien bastards had some sense after all. Because they stepped out of Louis’ way just before he reversed and peeled out of the garage.

 

° *･✩:*･ﾟ

 

That afternoon, the motherships reappeared in the sky. And for reasons that the world didn’t know, Russia fired on the one hovered over Moscow.

The problem with firing on aircraft more advanced than anything you managed to cook up yourself was twofold: for one, you didn’t know if your own missiles would even work, and two, you didn’t know what the more advanced aircraft would fire back.

So when Russia’s highest grade missiles exploded in a forcefield surrounding the mothership like flies to a bug zapper, Louis couldn’t say he was surprised.

He did however join in the collective wail of mankind when the mothership returned fire and obliterated Moscow within seconds. The city was leveled. No survivors. No lives spared.

And that really was the beginning of the end.

 

*･ﾟ✧° *･

 

Again the world leaders got on TV and told the rest of civilization that things were under control. Everything was _fine_. But this time Louis wasn’t listening.

He cradled a cup of tea in his hand, heading back to his desk where his laptop glowed with his latest research. He switched his phone to his other ear, glancing at BBC News still going on the screen.

“I think we might need to get out of here,” he said into the phone. “Just take the kids and find somewhere else to go.”

On the other end, Hannah was silent for a long while. “But where?”

Louis set his tea on the table. “I don’t know. Somewhere less populated, or I don’t know…” he said. He removed his glasses and rubbed at his tired eyes. “Talk to Pete about it, yeah? We have to start thinking up a plan.”

He could hear Hannah clicking a pen on her end. He knew from their university years that she did so incessantly when she was nervous. “Alright, Lou,” she said. “Be safe. I’ll call you after I speak with him.”

“Tell Lily I love her,” Louis said.

“Will do,” Hannah said. “And I love you, Louis.”

Louis’ lips twitched. “Love you too.”

He hung up with her and rested his forehead in his palms, massaging his temple with the pads of his fingertips.

His phone on the desk buzzed with a message from an unknown number.

**We need to speak as soon as possible.**

Louis groaned, swiping his phone off the desk. **_Delete my number._ **

**Should I erase your address from my memory too?**

**_you sound like a stalker. but you ARE invading a planet so that isn’t surprising._ **

**I’m outside.**

Louis balked at the message. He stood up and treaded carefully to the window, peeking past his blinds like an MI6 agent. He couldn’t see anything except the street lamps glowing on parked cars.

His phone started ringing. He lifted it to his ear.

“I can see you, Louis,” Harry said.

“Do you have any idea how creepy this is?” Louis whispered back.

“I just need to talk,” Harry said. “You’re in danger.”

“We all are. All of humanity. I’m no different. If you want to help so much, go help all the people hurting in Russia. All the people terrified now because of what happened there.”

“It was a defense mechanism. The ship is programmed to fire back--”

“ _Again_ ,” Louis cut him off. “Go tell that to the people who lost their loved ones.”

“Louis, I’m coming up.”

“Like hell you are,” Louis said.

There was a loud clatter behind him. “ _Fuck_.”

Louis whipped around and of fucking course, there was Harry, picking himself up off the floor. “I don’t always get that quite right,” he muttered, pressing his fist into his lower back, and cracking his spine.

Louis locked his phone and tossed it onto the kitchen table, stalking closer. “You must not understand English after all. When I said not to contact me, this is exactly--”

“You’re driving me crazy,” Harry said. “You’re honestly driving me insane. I haven’t slept at all since we-- At first, I thought it was just lust. But it’s more. It really is.”

“You hardly know me,” Louis said. “You don’t know me at all.”

“That may be true. But I can read things about you. It’s something in the way human beings are formed: it makes it so that I can read certain changes in your emotions and in your aura. Like right now, I’m reading anger, fear, passion. _Lust_.”

Louis scoffed. As much as he hated to admit it, the lust bit wasn’t entirely off. Harry’s hair was down, tumbling over his shoulders, wild and untamed. His cheeks were flushed. His mouth was red and vibrant. And Louis couldn’t help it. Given the day’s events, he hated that he couldn’t help it.

“So you’re psychic now too, huh? Any other secrets for me, _Prince Hershel_ ?” Louis asked. “I should call you that right? Or is it _your majesty_?”

“Just Harry is fine,” Harry gritted out.

“Alright, Just Harry,” Louis said. “Get the _fuck_ out of my house.”

Harry shook his head, made a frustrated sound like the hiss of a cat, and suddenly, he lunged for him. Louis’ eyes flew to the lamp on the end table. But before he could get his hand around it, Harry’s arms were around his thighs. He hoisted him up with ease and threw him over his shoulder.

“Are you fucking--”

He must have done the teleportation thing again. Louis’ head spun. One second they were standing in the living room and the next Louis was sprawled on his bed.

Harry trapped his wrists against the mattress. “Listen to me, human.”

“Have you lost your fucking mind, pal?” Louis thrashed his hips around, trying to knock Harry off of him.

“Louis, _please_ ,” Harry growled. His gaze suddenly went soft and his voice too. “You’re all I’ve thought about for days. You make me feel-- something I’ve never felt before. Unlike anything I thought I was capable of feeling. I like you, Louis. I care for you. And I’d rather not see you die.”

Louis’ chest rose and fell rapidly against Harry’s own. His heart trembled like a cornered animal.

“I ran away from home because I wanted a normal life to make my own decisions. It’s why I chose to be a mechanic. I wanted to help people but I also just wanted something normal,” Harry said. “I didn’t want to tell you the truth because of how I felt. How I feel. The thought of you rejecting me is terrifying.”

Louis turned his head on the mattress, refusing eye contact like a stubborn child.

“I care so much for you, Louis,” Harry whispered, his breath soft on Louis’ cheek. “All I want is to help you. All I want is to keep you safe. You and your daughter both. Please, let me help you.”

The mention of Lily was like an arrow to Louis’ heart. He blinked at him, swallowing around the lump in his throat. Harry hesitated before he leaned in and pressed a kiss to Louis’ cheek, lips feather soft and gentle. “Please? Let me take care of you, Louis.”

Louis was suddenly acutely aware of the space where their crotches met. His cock had thickened up quickly, so obvious now with nothing at all but the thin material of his joggers to separate them.

And Harry was aware of it too. He groaned softly. “I want you so much,” he murmured, pressing another kiss to Louis’ throat. Louis shivered and bit into his bottom lip.

“All I’ve thought about,” Harry said. His hips moved against Louis’, providing a morsel of friction, not enough and yet still enough to make his mouth drop open around a moan.

Louis swallowed, squeezing his eyes shut. “Fuck…” he breathed. “Harry.”

Harry drew back and ran their mouths together lightly, teasingly. His eyes darted between Louis’, searching for denial. Of course, there was none. So he kissed him, open-mouthed and warm, finding Louis’ tongue without resistance. Louis had no resistance left.

He released his wrists, sliding his hand down to cup his thigh, hitching it up and around his waist. “Please?”

“Okay,” Louis panted. “Yes, okay.”

He tugged at the hem of Harry’s shirt. “Just get these clothes off please?” he groaned, nearly ripping the damn thing. “Now, please.”

Harry yanked the shirt over his head and threw it to the side. Louis dragged his nails down his stomach, over his abs, and popped the button of his jeans.

“Off,” he commanded, pushing at them.

Louis propped himself up on his elbows to watch Harry fumble with his clothing, tripping slightly over his feet as he struggled to remove them.

“Can I--” Harry paused, drawing a deep breath. “Can I sit on your cock?”

Louis dropped his head to his mattress. “God, yes. Please just do something. Sit on it. Lick it. Talk to it. Work some weird alien magic on it.”

“I don’t have alien magic, I told you.”

“You don’t call teleportation alien magic?” Louis asked, brows arched.

“We use a device for that.” Harry lifted his arm and wiggled it to show off the thin silver band around his wrist. “It’s not magic.”

He hooked his fingers over Louis’ waistband and started to ease them off, taking a lick of his cock along the way, sucking his right nut into his mouth. Louis gasped, pushing his hips up and nudging his dick against Harry’s face. Harry just took it.

“Would you like to fuck my throat instead?” he asked amicably, the way one might ask if you’d fancy a cup of tea.

Louis bit into his fist. He took a quick breath. “Later. We should try that when we have more time. Like when the world’s not ending.”

“So after I save the world, you’ll see me again?” Harry questioned.

“Yes, absolutely,” Louis babbled, fleetingly pinging on the “save the world” bit, but he’d have to dissect it later.

Harry ran his mouth over the length of Louis’ cock, breathing over it but not doing much else. It twitched desperately, sadly. “I fingered myself thinking about you,” Harry confessed.

“You’re trying to kill me, after all, aren’t you?” Louis replied hoarsely.

“Never,” Harry said with a soft, gentle laugh. “I want you to live a long and beautiful life, like you deserve, surrounded by people who love you.”

He dragged his mouth down Louis’ thigh, shifting the hairs on his skin with each puff of his breath. “I’d give you the whole earth if I could. But there are other planets to consider. You’d enjoy Halcyon and Miton, which has ten moons, one of which is pink. That planet is all mine. With houses on the beach.”

Louis moaned. “Yeah, baby. Tell me more.”

“I’ll get you your own ship. Whatever you want, you can have it,” Harry said.

“What if I just want you, your highness?” Louis murmured breathlessly.

Harry’s eyes fluttered upward and met Louis’. “I didn’t think to give you what was yours already.”

Louis’ heart beat a little faster than was healthy, the very concept of him falling in love with an alien finally dawning on him. The concept of that alien being in love with him too, perhaps without even knowing what love was.

It was peculiar and terrifying and yet, Louis’ only thought was to reach a hand out for him, and draw him atop his body. Harry leaned in for a kiss, the long tendrils of his hair brushing Louis’ face.

“You’re the brightest star I’ve ever seen,” he murmured, kissing Louis’ cheek. “And I’ve seen plenty.”

Louis’ eyes drifted over Harry’s face. He combed his hair back with his fingers, cradled Harry’s cheek against his palm, and pulled him into a kiss. “Come on, baby,” he murmured against Harry’s mouth.

Harry pulled back and shuffled through Louis’ drawer for the condoms and lube. He opened himself up on his own, hand braced on Louis’ chest, fingers splayed. His brows twitched from heavy concentration. He gasped when he brushed his prostate.

Louis swallowed, his breathing labored just from lying there. He reached for Harry’s cock to stroke him idly and marvelled when Harry started to thrust his cock through Louis’ hand.

After a moment, Harry pushed his hand away completely, leaning over to push their mouths together again. His hair fell over their faces like a curtain. He reached between their bodies to roll a condom down Louis’ cock, to lube him up, and position him carefully.

“I haven’t done this before,” he breathed.

“Like this?” Louis asked.

Harry shook his head, his hair tickling Louis’ face. He hid his face away in Louis’ neck, softer and shyer than Louis thought him capable of being. “No one’s ever fucked me. You’re the first. And I'm glad for that.”

Louis blinked, his mouth dropping open to speak but all he had was air..

“I told you, Louis, I believe in soulmates. Even ones that traverse galaxies and dimensions. Human or alien, to me it doesn’t matter,” Harry murmured. He sat back, grinding against Louis’ cock but not taking it, not yet. “And you’re mine. I mean that, truly. My soulmate. You’re mine.”

And then he slipped down on him, enveloping him completely. The words caught Louis just as the pressure of Harry around his cock did. Everything coalesced at the same time, the way space matter compounded to form planets and comets and a million other things Louis didn't understand.

The world beyond Earth had always seemed obscure to him, as it must have for most people. He knew of other galaxies and black holes, of light years and orbits. But his knowledge really had ended there.

Somehow, though, it was like he didn't need to understand. Nothing but Harry at least. So long as he knew the universe had given him Harry, right then nothing else really mattered.

He couldn't stop touching him. He couldn't stop running his hands over Harry's chest or his hips, tracing his figure like points on a map.

Harry rolled his hips artfully, forward and back. Again, he took his time. Just enjoying Louis’ cock, as if he was dancing with it. They fell into a spell with one another, their hands on each other’s bodies, their eyes locked.

Soon enough he picked up pace, rocking more forcefully and wildly. He dug his nails into Louis’ chest, using his grip to drag his hips forward and push them back. The bed creaked and whined in complaint but neither of them cared. He pushed his hand through Harry’s hair and held it back like the first time they did this. Harry leaned in for a kiss, their tongues grazing. Louis pressed his fingertips into Harry’s arse, urging him on, harder, faster.

When they came, they did so together, bodies locked and arrested in pleasure. Harry touched his forehead to Louis’, hips slowing down while they struggled to catch their breath.

“You’re glowing,” Louis mumbled. The room was a few shades brighter and the lamps weren’t even on.

Harry nodded, his nose brushing Louis’ nose. “When I’m with you…” he replied.

They collapsed beside each other, while Louis turned those words and every other word Harry had spoken to him over in his head.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the truth,” Harry said.

Louis leaned in and kissed him. “Don’t be,” he said, his thumb brushing Harry’s bottom lip. “I’m a stubborn bastard sometimes. But I get it, why you didn’t tell me. Especially in the middle of an invasion.”

“I just didn’t want to lose you. I had to have you, Louis, from the first time we met. Even when I knew I shouldn’t,” Harry said. “I can’t stay away from you.”

“Now you don’t have to,” Louis said, drawing him in for another kiss. They draped their arms over each other’s waists and ran their noses and mouths together gently. “What else should I know about you? About your race? I want to learn.”

Harry smiled. “Our galaxy is called Norix. It’s a few light years away. My family owns all of the planets within it, and there are quite a few.”

“How do you get there?” Louis asked. “What’s travelling through space like?”

“You’d love it. We have ships that travel at the speed of light. And they teleport to docks all along the universe,” Harry explained. “Teleporting to an area without a dock is dangerous, though. You could land yourself right in a black hole or a star like your sun.”

“Sounds sick,” Louis said, grinning. He ran his fingers down Harry’s spine. “What about your family?”

“Well, you’ve met my charming mother. My older sister is Gemma,” Harry said. “And there’s also my dad. But he’s very ill. The physicians say he only has months left to live.”

Louis’ fingers stilled on Harry’s skin. He frowned. “I’m sorry…”

“It’s alright,” Harry said. “I’ll mourn him when he’s gone. But we didn’t get on very well. Too many differences in our opinions for us to have much of a relationship. When he dies, I’ll be expected to rule as king.”

Louis’ brows arched. “ _King_ Hershel,” he said. “Impressive.”

Harry snorted. “I think it sounds ridiculous,” he said. “But so long as I stay away from home, they can't make me.”

Louis pondered a thought for a moment and hesitated for another before speaking. “If you're king, you’d be able to stop the invasion, though, wouldn’t you?” he asked. “You could end this?”

Harry looked at him and then his heavy lashes fell, eyes cast down on the duvet. “I’ve been hoping there was another way.”

Louis studied him, the slight pout of his rose bud lips. For a second, Harry looked much younger than he was: inexperienced and scared. Louis knew what it was like to have his own freedom restricted. It wasn’t the same thing for Harry at all but years of suppressing his sexuality had made that clear to him. It was apparent that the thought of returning home and becoming king terrified Harry. And some odd, unexpected need to defend him unfurled in Louis’ chest.

He pulled Harry close, pressing a kiss to his forehead, and rubbing the tenseness from his shoulders. “If there is, we’ll find it,” he murmured.

Harry pulled back so their eyes could meet. “We?” he repeated.

Louis felt his cheeks warm, more from Harry’s gaze than from the words themselves. “Yes,” he said. “Definitely we.”

Harry did the thing again, where he seemed to radiate light. Louis’ next breath got lodged somewhere in his windpipe. Harry leaned in for a kiss, fingertips stroking Louis’ scruffy jaw.

“I need you to trust me, Louis,” he said, when they separated. “I know that’s a lot to ask, but I won’t let you down again, I promise. I have a plan.”

Louis nodded, running his fingers down Harry’s side. “Let’s hear it then.”

 

*･ﾟ★° *･

 

He woke to the smell of breakfast and his mouth curved into a smile. Finding Harry with two plates of pancakes whipped up was otherworldly. Looking at him now in the light of morning with sunlight turning his hair and body golden, Louis wondered why he hadn't figured it out sooner. Earth had produced some beautiful things, yes, but none like Harry.

“Good morning,” Harry murmured, plucking a strawberry from a bowl on the counter.

“I didn’t even know I had all that stuff here,” Louis said. He was positive that he didn't.

“You didn’t. I went out and bought you groceries. I had to borrow cash from your wallet,” Harry said. “But the receipt’s there with some change so you know what I bought.”

“Not that I was worried you bought booze or a pet or something,” Louis said.

“A pet?” Harry raised a brow.

Louis reached for a strawberry as well. “Yeah, you totally seem like the type who would steal money just to adopt pets.”

Harry grinned. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Good. It’s kind of hard not to compliment you,” Louis said, tossing him a wink.

They laughed, their eyes soft on each other. Harry handed Louis a fork and a knife, and they took their seats and started in on Harry's work.

“How would you feel about going on a date with me?” Harry asked.

Louis took a sip of his tea. “I think I feel pretty good about that.”

“We can take a trip around the Milky Way,” Harry said.

Louis laughed. “How many boyfriends can say that?” he mumbled. And then he actually choked on a sip of his tea, eyes sliding to Harry with an excuse or apology ready.

Harry was just looking at him with his eyes slightly widening and searching. The attention turned Louis’ cheeks warm. “I’ve never had a boyfriend before so I don’t know,” Harry confessed.

Louis pushed food around his plate, rolling a sausage around. “Me neither.”

“But I think, if I had a chance…” Harry began, sliding his hand to Louis’ thigh.

Louis looked at him, waiting, and surprisingly, _wanting_.

“Louis,” Harry said softly.

And then the front door opened. “Dad!” Lily called into the flat.

Louis looked at Harry dressed in joggers and nothing else. Both of them sat partially dressed. Louis’ eyes widened and then Harry’s hand tightened on his thigh.

They were suddenly in the bedroom, Louis’ hand braced on his dresser while the room slowly stopped spinning. Harry was already wearing a shirt and he had joggers in his hand now for Louis. He stooped down, lifting Louis’ right foot into the joggers.

“Work with me, love,” he grumbled.

“I got it,” Louis replied, reaching for the waistband. He got his other leg into the joggers and hopped into them. “Fucking alien magic.”

“Dad?” Lily called again.

Harry grabbed Louis’ hand again. “Sorry,” he said quickly. The room spun again. Louis slapped his hand onto the kitchen counter, his other hand pressed to his stomach. He’d enjoyed Harry’s breakfast. He wasn’t looking to throw it all up.

Lily rounded the corner and stood at the doorway of the kitchen.

“Hi,” Harry said, flashing a pearly white smile as he munched on a strawberry.

Lily’s mouth dropped open. She glanced at Louis, then her eyes ran over Harry again. She smoothed a hand over her hair, looking flustered. “Hello.”

Harry just kept smiling, dimples, and pretty eyes, and rock star hair. The white t-shirt he’d borrowed from Louis was a little small on him and hugged his body in all the right places, made his abs prominent under the thin material. It looked like someone had yanked him out of a Calvin Klein ad.

“You must be Lily,” Harry said. “I’m Harry. From Kwik Fit.”

“From Kwik Fit...” Lily repeated numbly.

“Harry’s a friend, fixing the car,” Louis said, struggling for breath. “He made pancakes. You want a pancake?”

“Um,” Lily began, unable to look Harry in the eyes for too long. She looked at Louis. “Peter made omelets before he dropped me off. So I’m good. Pete had to finish some things at the office and mum took Susan to the doctor’s. I came to practice for my recital.”

Louis had the word recital written somewhere on some calendar in his possession. He must have circled it a few times in red Sharpie. But his mind was blank in that moment and Lily knew he didn’t remember. Her frown cut an identically shaped wound in Louis’ heart.

You know, given the alien invasion and all, he wasn’t exactly keeping track of these things. And the likelihood of a recital happening at all was slim.

Harry popped another strawberry into his mouth, looking back and forth between Lily and Louis.

“What do you play?” he asked, voice slicing through the tension like the strawberries on the chopping board.

Lily glanced at him. She held up her guitar case. “Just acoustic.”

“Neat,” Harry said, smiling. He stepped out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on a rag, which he dropped on the table on his way over to her. “Let’s see it,” Harry said, plopping down on the arm of the couch and patting the spot beside him.

Lily placed the case on the coffee table and popped it open. She removed her guitar, holding it out for Harry to see. “I’ve only just started learning a few months ago. Do you play?” she asked.

Harry answered with a smirk, holding his hands out.

He didn’t bother with the strap once Lily handed the guitar off to him. He settled the instrument in his lap and started strumming. It wasn’t a song Louis recognized but the way his fingers flew over the strings, Louis could see it being his favorite.

“Who’s your favorite artist?” Harry asked her.

Lily raised her brows, her lip-glossed mouth puckering as she thought.

“Vance Joy? Do you know him?”

“You’re joking. I love him. Seen him in concert once,” Harry said.

Lily looked like she wanted to cling to Harry, like just fit herself in the crook of his elbow and die there.

“What’s your favorite song of his? Riptide?” Harry asked, raising his brow.

Lily shook his head. “Mess is Mine,” she said.

Harry beamed at her. He started strumming again. Lily’s eyes widened when she recognized the chords.

“That would be my favorite too,” Harry said. “Wanna sing the chorus for your dad?” His hair fell over his face when he looked down at his hands, sliding his fingers over the frets.

Lily sat forward a bit, listening intently for the right note, and then she found it, opening her mouth to sing softly, shyly, “Hold on, darling…”

Harry grinned and started to sing too, in this deep velvety timbre that made Louis’ knees go weak. He leaned against the wall near the kitchen, watching Harry strumming and singing. “Hold on, my darling,” he sang, glancing at Louis.

Louis nearly whimpered aloud. Definitely falling in love with the alien.

Lily tapped her hand on her knee, keeping time with the beat. “This mess was yours…” she sang.

“Now your mess is mine…” Harry’s voice spread through the room, washing over Louis. His strumming kicked up, loud and vibrant.

“Your mess is mine,” they sang together. Lily smiled more widely than Louis had seen in months. If the neighbors came by to complain, Louis didn’t know what would stop him from wedging his foot up their arses. He would do anything to keep that look on his daughter’s face.

Harry’s strumming slowed and after one final note, he lifted his fingers off the strings, rubbing his thumb and forefinger together. “Probably should have used a pick,” he said, wincing.

Lily winced too, clearly knowing the pain well. “I once got this huge blister on my thumb from playing without a pick.”

“I bled once,” Harry said. “Broke my pick in the middle of a show and played the rest out like this. Wore my thumb down good.”

“That sounds awful. Was it at a recital?” Lily asked.

“Nope, no recitals for me. You should be lucky you get formal training. I learned from friends and strange people in pubs.”

“You’re still really good,” Lily said.

“In a few years, I’ll be shit compared to you,” Harry said. “The trick is to never put it down. Except when you’re doing homework, I suppose. Otherwise just keep it in your hands, like it doesn’t belong anywhere else.” He handed the guitar back to her. “Good luck at your recital.”

“Thank you,” Lily said, her cheeks pink enough to match her hair.

Harry stood up, gaze swinging to Louis. “I have to go,” he said, understanding passing privately between their gazes. He grabbed his jacket off the back of one of the chairs.

Louis nodded, following him to the door. “I’ll talk to you later then?”

“Soon,” Harry promised. He glanced at Louis’ mouth like he wanted to go in for a kiss. Louis probably would have let him. He slipped past him instead, smiling softly.

Louis sighed quietly, pushing the door shut behind him.

“Who. Was _._ _That_?” Lily hissed, whipping around on the couch.

“Harry from Kwik Fit,” Louis said. “A friend.”

Lily glared at him. “You don’t have friends that look like that, Dad.”

“You haven’t met all of my friends. Just like I haven’t met your boyfriend,” Louis said, lifting his brows.

“Whatever,” Lily grumbled, sitting back on the couch. She began picking at the strings of her guitar. “He’s _so_ hot.”

A small, smug smile graced Louis’ face. He cleared his throat. “Listen, love. There’s actually something we need to talk about. Me, you, your mom, and Peter too.”

“He’s your boyfriend, isn’t he?” Lily said, tightening one of her guitar strings. She glanced at Louis. “Or did you elope with him?”

“Jesus, Lil, no. Anyway, that wouldn’t really be something to have a family meeting about,” Louis said. “It’s about the aliens.”

Lily’s smile slipped away. “Everyone says they’re good aliens. That they only fired on Moscow in self-defense.”

Louis shook his head. “That’s not true, babe. Don’t ask me how I know. But I just do. They aren’t good. They aren’t here for tea and biscuits,” he said solemnly. He came and sat on the couch beside her. “They’re going to attack soon enough. And we need to be gone before they do.”

Lily’s whole face wrinkled with confusion. “But where would we go?”

“I can’t explain right now. Not until I know the specifics. But I have a friend who can help. And I trust them.”

“Is it Harry?” Lily asked.

Louis dragged a hand down his face. “Would it make you feel better if I said yes?”

“It would,” Lily said immediately. “He seems like the kind of person you can trust.”

Louis’ lips twitched. “He is,” he said. “He knows a place we can go where we’ll be safe. All of us. I trust him.”

“And I trust you,” Lily said.

Louis smiled. “That’s all I need, love,” he said. “Come on. Let’s hear you play.”

Lily situated the guitar in her lap and started strumming. Mess Is Mine. Louis recognized it immediately now.

 

ﾟ*･✧°:･ﾟ

 

His second and hopefully last cup of gritty Asda coffee burned on its way down his throat. He finished with the petrol and hooked the pump back up. Another hour remained to Doncaster but given the traffic on the motor way, it was likely more than two.

Everyone was fleeing London. The attack two days ago left them all with no choice. The Eye had been overturned and the London Bridge was reduced to broken wires and dismantled concrete lying at the bottom of the Thames. Yes, the alien attack on Moscow had been “provoked” but the missiles on London came unannounced, like the ones in New York. The Statue of Liberty was capsized and drowning in the New York Bay, and Times Square wasn’t much of a square now as it was a pile of rubble.

They were targeting monuments and landmarks, for reasons no one could understand. All of the overeager nerds on Youtube said it was a warning, a “Don’t fuck with us,” as Pewdiepie put it. Why Louis still watched these videos during the apocalypse or better yet, why they were still being uploaded was beyond him.

The governing parties and leaders didn’t have answers either, really. (The aliens hadn’t made contact since Moscow.) They did however officially declare a global war.

And that was all the convincing Louis needed to get the hell of out there.

He threw a thumbs up to Hannah parked in the SUV off to the side and climbed back into his car. He gunned the engine back up and pulled back onto the freeway, glancing into the visor at Hannah and Pete following behind him.

“Have you heard from Harry?”

Louis glanced at Lily in the seat beside him. She tugged her blanket further up under her chin and watched him sleepily. Robbie the snake sat in a small tank atop her lap.

Louis shook his head. “Not yet.”

“Do you still think you will?” she asked quietly.

Louis took in all the cars packed and frozen around him. He might be stuck on the M1 for the rest of his life but he knew Harry would find him somewhere along the way. He thought of whispered promises in the dark of his room, and the word “soulmate” lingering in his head since he last saw him.

And yes. “Yes,” Louis said.

Lily nodded, snuggling further into her seat.

“I have an idea,” Louis announced. “Let’s play I Spy.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m not a kid.”

“ _What_ a revelation!” Louis said, his eyes comically wide. “I’ve got one for you too. Want to hear? I spy something green.”

Lily sighed loudly, ruffling her pink fridge. She peered around. “Is it a tree?”

“Come on,” Louis groaned. “I raised you better than that.”

Lily shook her head, her lips twitching. She sat up in her seat. “That car there?”

Louis snorted. “Maybe we shouldn’t play. Think it’s too much of a challenge for you.”

He felt his daughter’s glare on the side of his face and grinned, reaching for his coffee cup and taking a dainty sip.

Lily sat forward, eyeing each individual car surrounding them. “The scrunchie in that lady’s hair. In the red car,” she said.

Louis smirked. “That’s my girl,” he said proudly. “Your turn.”

Lily smiled, her nose wrinkling the way Louis adored. “I spy something pink.”

 

ﾟ*･★°:･ﾟ

 

The kids were all snoozing in sleeping bags on the living room floor. Hannah and Pete had taken the guest room. Louis had his childhood room. Lottie and her husband were in hers. And of course, there was his mum, his stepdad, and the dogs, one of which--the hound Macey--was currently reclined at the foot of Louis’ bed.

He couldn’t sleep at all, which wasn’t much different from every night the previous week. There was a pack of menthols glaring at him from his bedside cabinet, and yeah, he’d promised Lily he would quit. But again, alien invasions changed everything, and brought his anxiety to an all-time high.

He sighed, swiping the cigarettes up. He bundled himself up in a blanket and clucked his tongue for Macey to follow him along. He crept down the stairs as quietly as he could and slipped out the back door, curling up with his dog on the back porch.

It was eerily quiet, as the whole world had been for the last few days. Humanity was holding its breath. For the first time in what felt like a while, Louis exhaled one of his own. He tucked a cigarette between his mouth and lifted his lighter. Macey began to snarl, just as a shadow shifted to their right. Louis’ eyes flickered upward.

The cigarette fell from his lips.

“Hello, my love,” Harry said.

It was like the porch caught a blaze. Louis had never moved so quickly in his life, flying upright. He reached for Harry, standing right there on the landing of the porch steps, and dragged him close. He felt him. The material of his plaid shirt and the heat of his body. He felt him and knew he was real.

He pushed him into the siding of the house, hands on Harry’s hips, and leaned in to press  their mouths together.

Harry’s hands slid into his hair, thumbs stroking Louis’ jaw. His mouth fell open, inviting Louis’ tongue past his lips. They kissed until they remembered where they were.

“I’m sorry I took so long,” Harry said.

Louis shook his head, running his hands up Harry’s sides and over his chest. “It’s okay,” he murmured, kissing him again. He was here. He was real and warm. “I’ve missed you.”

“Me too. I had to go, prepare a place for you to stay. I heard about the attacks. Your family is safe, right?” Harry asked, cradling Louis’ face in his hands.

“They’re all safe. But people are dying, Harry. This is awful,” Louis said. “And I’m scared. Not just for my family. But for them too. For everyone.”

“I know,” Harry said. “I tried to speak with mother. But she’s surrounded by evil advisors and they’re keeping me away.”

Louis frowned. “At least, you tried.”

“For you, Louis. More than anyone,” Harry murmured.

Louis kissed him again for that, hands sliding over Harry’s lower back, squeezing him close.

“Listen,” Harry said. “I need some place close by to land my ship.”

Louis’ eyes widened. “Um,” he opened and closed his mouth. “Going to need some time to come up with that one.”

“We don’t have any time, Lou,” Harry said. “Right now, I’m parked very illegally on the roof of a school down the street.”

“There’ll be a hefty ticket waiting for you when you get back,” Louis said. He narrowed his eyes, wracking his brain. “The football pitch. At my old school.”

Harry nodded. “That’s where I’ll be waiting then. Tomorrow,” he said. “Sleep well tonight. The trip might be disorienting.”

“You’re leaving now?” Louis asked, tightening his arms around Harry’s waist.

“You seem tired,” Harry replied.

“I haven’t been able to sleep,” Louis said. “Stay for a little longer? Please?”

Harry pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Of course.”

Louis spread his blanket out on the lawn behind his home and cuddled up into Harry’s side with Macey still sniffing suspiciously at Harry beside him. Harry extended his arm toward the sky, the tip of his finger on one twinkling star.

“That one there is Cora and Celestion, which you call Navi and Caph. They’re part of your constellation, Cassiopeia,” Harry murmured into Louis’ ear. “My planet is straight on through those two stars.”

“Is that where you’re taking us? Back to your planet?”

“No. It’s not safe there for you yet. I’m taking you to Miton. The one with the ten moons,” Harry said. “You’ll love it there, I promise.”

“I don’t doubt that,” Louis answered. He turned his head. “When this is over, I want you to show me them all.”

Harry smiled, his dimple appearing in his cheek. “I will.”

 

ﾟ*･✩°:･ﾟ

 

They thought three ships were bad. They could never have been prepared for hundreds--enough of them to block out the sun completely. The earth had even grown cold. His mum’s plants on the windowsill had begun to wilt.

Lily sat, huddled by the fire with her cousins, glancing at Louis every now and then for a cue or some sign of reassurance that he couldn’t give her. The adults were at the kitchen table, hands wrapped around cups of tea, also with their eyes on Louis.

His knee bounced and the corners of his eyes prickled with the threat of tears. With his whole family surrounding him, the last thing he wanted to do was weep. But he was terrified. There was no denying that.

The plan was to wait until sunrise and then to meet Harry at the pitch. Except there were now motherships hovering in the sky over Doncaster too, and perhaps every part of the world. Not a soul dared to move.

All sources of electricity had been shut down. No television. No radio. No phones.

He couldn’t ask his family to leave the shelter of the house. On his own, he would do it. But he wouldn’t risk his family.

And so it seemed the plan had failed.

He thought back to Harry whispering in his ear last night. _Just come to me. That’s all. Let me do the rest._

Louis couldn’t even handle that.

He set his forehead in his palm, knowing well how the gesture would make his family panic.

“Dad,” he heard Lily say from the living room.

Louis glanced at her, trying for a calm smile but it turned grim. He looked at his mum, who reached across the table and took his hand, squeezing comfortingly. He looked at Hannah and Peter, cradling their new baby. He looked at Lottie and her husband, Garen.

Harry was just one person, or one being, whatever. He couldn’t save them all.

So Louis thought, at the very least-- if he had to die, if humanity was seconds away from annihilation, at least he would die with the people he loved most.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Lily standing there.

“Come here, love,” he said.

She climbed onto his lap, unlike she had in years, and rested her head on his shoulder. Louis sighed, holding her close, shutting his eyes.

A great commotion sounded behind them followed by a string of profanities that made his mum’s mouth drop open. Louis knew that voice. Lily climbed out of his lap as Louis stood and turned. Harry was pushing himself up off the floor by the bookshelf, a few titles spilled around him.

“Fuck,” he grunted again.

He spotted the children by the fireplace and clapped a hand over his mouth, his gaze swinging towards the kitchen table.

“Right,” Louis said, turning to his family. “Well, that would be the friend I mentioned.”

“He looks very human to me,” Hannah said.

Louis shrugged. “Looks can be deceiving?”

Behind him, Harry cleared his throat. “So sorry for the introduction,” he said with a stilted wave. “I’m Harry.”

Louis’ lips twitched. Relief flooded him just from the sight of Harry’s smile. He wouldn’t mind dying with Harry near him too.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” Harry said to Louis, begging forgiveness with his gaze.

“Don’t be,” Louis said. “There’s not really any way for us to get out of here, or anywhere to go..”

“About that,” Harry said, clasping his hands behind his back, and saying triumphantly, “I’m going to teleport you all out of here.”

“You just teleported yourself into that bookshelf there,” Lottie chimed in. “And you want to try that with all of us?”

Harry looked at the books, and started picking them up. “I’m usually much better at it,” he said, replacing books on the shelf. He fumbled with a stack in his hands. “Really, always takes me one go to warm up.”

He looked at Louis sheepishly. Louis looked at his family. “I need everyone to vote or something. We all go or none of us go.”

“I'm with dad,” Lily said.

Louis mussed her pink hair. “Only if your mum says so,” he said, looking at Hannah.

“We’re in,” Lottie said of her and Garen and their two children. “It's worth a try. If we stay here, there's not much to look forward to at all.”

Louis smiled. He looked at his mum. “We’ll go along with you, love. And your friend,” she said, glancing at Harry by the bookshelf.

Louis looked to Hannah again. He lifted his brows.

“Obviously,” Hannah said with a roll of her eyes. “We aren't staying here.”

Louis grinned, turning to face Harry. “Okay.”

Both of Harry's dimples made an appearance. He did the glowy thing again, though Louis was starting to suspect he was the only one who could see it. “Okay,” Harry repeated.

They joined together in a circle, touching hands to shoulders to elbows. Harry held Louis’ hand tightly in his own. Harry leaned close to him, his mouth to Louis’ ear. “If we end up miles below the ocean or something, please know that I'm already in love with you.”

Louis’ gaze swung to him. But before he could get the words out in reply, the world turned white and faded out. He felt Harry's hand squeezing his own, and he felt Lily’s hand around his forearm but everything else disappeared.

And then reappeared. The familiar smell of soil from the pitch flooded him. The ground was soft beneath his shoes like it had been when he was a kid. He almost expected to hear the howl of the ref’s whistle. And then he felt Harry squeeze his hand again and he opened his eyes.

His family surrounded him, looking disoriented, on the football pitch of his former secondary school. He hadn’t been here in years but he remembered it all like it was yesterday.

Beside him, Harry grinned. “Piece of cake,” he murmured, yanking a set of keys from his pocket. “Everyone’s here, right? No missing limbs?”

“I think we’re good,” Louis said, running his eyes over his family. Baby Susan had thrown up on Pete’s jumper. Lottie’s children were clinging to her, casting terrified eyes around the pitch. But they were all accounted for and in one piece.

“Time for you to meet Greased Lightning,” Harry said, poking a button on his keys.

“You named your ship Greased Lightning?” Louis trailed off. It was settled then: he had to marry the alien. Might not be completely legal but he’d just have to do it.

He was still considering the best time and place to propose when the air ahead of him started to glow and shift. It changed in a matter of seconds. What was once the open field of the football pitch now revealed a large, _pink_ vessel.

Louis sputtered. “Pink?”

Lily jabbed him with her elbow. “I think pink is a great color.”

“Well, you would,” Louis said pointedly.

“It’s the royal color on my planet. No one else wears pink but me and my family,” Harry said. He sent a wink Lily’s direction. “They’d love your hair though.”

Lily combed her hand through her ponytail. “Would they?” she said in wonder.

“Alright. That’s quite enough,” Louis announced. “Can we?”

Harry smiled. “Follow me,” he said, marching toward the door, which lifted with another press of a button on his keys. He stood at the door, ushering everyone inside, the wind tossing his curls about his head, and rustled the lapels of his white button-down shirt.

“Watch your step,” he cautioned them, as Lottie and the smallest ones climbed in.

He even took Louis’ mum’s hand, and helped her through. He did the same with Lily. And then the last to go was Louis. He took his hand gently, brushing his thumb over his skin.

“What’s your plan for our friends up there?” Louis asked, nodding to the space ships overhead.

“I have people on my side. Nick, the one who stood with my mum-- he’ll ensure I get through fine,” Harry said.

Louis nodded, squeezing Harry’s hand. He reached his other hand to the back of Harry’s neck and drew him in for a kiss. “I’m pretty sure I’m in love with you too,” he said into his ear. “In case we don’t make it through this.”

Harry grinned. “We will.”

“So confident,” Louis murmured, climbing into the ship. He snorted when he took in the pink polka dot seats. “You know, with a name like Greased Lightning, I pictured leather interior.”

“No leather on my planet,” Harry said.

“Shame,” Louis replied.

Harry rolled his eyes. “Sit up front with me?”

Louis hadn’t really planned on sitting anywhere else. Harry pulled the door shut, and started past him, asking everyone to buckle up and put on their helmets. He stepped into the front, reaching back again for Louis’ hand, helping him up into the cockpit area. He handed Louis a gold helmet once he was seated, and climbed into his own seat, sliding a pair of sunglasses onto his face.

“Don’t you get a helmet too?” Louis questioned.

Harry scoffed, turning his key in the ignition. “I don’t even own one,” he said.

Louis’ eyes dragged over his profile. “I want you to know I’m really turned on by your whole space cowboy thing right now.”

Harry’s dimple was like an arrow to the heart. “That’s basically the point of this whole mission: to seduce you.”

“Mission accomplished then,” Louis reported.

Harry reached up and flipped a lever, still grinning happily. He lifted an earpiece and slipped it over his ear. “This is Hershel preparing for take off. Grimmy, report.”

In his own helmet, Louis heard the voice respond. “You’re good to go, my lord.”

Harry flipped another switch and gripped the wheel firmly with both hands. And Louis was _hard_. If his family weren’t with him, this would be the part where he mounted Harry and rode him to the Milky Way. Jesus.

And then the ship was lifting off the ground, and right, Louis remembered, alien invasion, minutes to human extinction. Not exactly ideal circumstances for space sex.

From the window beside him, he saw the pitch grow farther and farther away. He gripped the edge of his seat.

“Once I get past earth’s atmosphere, I’m going to activate the teleport. It’ll be much more disorienting than the jump from the house to the pitch,” Harry said. “I’ll have to do it twice. Thumbs up if you understand.”

Harry glanced back into the cabin at Louis’ family, who must all be hearing him through their helmets as well. With the exception of the children, everyone shot their thumbs into the air. Harry smiled.

“Alright then. Let’s get out of here,” he said. He faced forward, and kicked the ship up into gear. They accelerated rapidly from then on, growing closer to the two much larger ships overhead. When they got close enough though, the ships parted, and Harry breezed through.

They made it past the clouds within the next five minutes. Louis felt the sun on his face and turned toward it, holding his hand out to watch it spill across his palm. If he ever got to experience the sun filtering through his apartment windows again, he’d remember to take time to appreciate it in the morning.

When they burst through Earth’s atmosphere minutes later, Harry exhaled a breath as quietly as he could. Louis still heard him and turned to find the blood returning to the white around his knuckles.

“A little nervous, after all?” Louis asked.

“By myself, it’s easy. But there are babies onboard,” Harry explained.

Louis smiled, reaching out and sliding a hand through Harry’s hair. “You’re lovely.”

Harry turned his head and rubbed his cheek against Louis’ palm, such an intimate gesture that it made Louis’ cheeks warm. He glanced into the cabin and of course, caught gazes from basically everyone. He set his hand back into his lap.

“Preparing for the first jump now,” Harry said, tapping a button here, flipping a switch there.

“Think we’re ready,” Louis said, curving his arms over his tummy. It was damn good thing he hadn’t had breakfast that morning.

Harry didn’t give them any other warnings. Maybe he thought it was better that way, like pulling a tooth the old-fashioned way or ripping a plaster free.

His insides spun like they’d been shoved into a blender. He threw his hand out in search of something to hold onto and of course, found Harry, or what he hoped was Harry, and he held on tight. He heard a whooshing in his ears, winds and heat passing over his body. Nausea grew in his stomach, and he wanted to vomit anyway, even without breakfast. And then, it was over.

Everything was still. A cool hand rested on the back of his neck.

“Everyone alright?” Harry was asking, turned in his seat. Louis blinked, glancing out the windows. “There are bottles of water beside you, if you need them. Try to keep your eyes closed for a moment. Breathe: in for three seconds, out for five.”

His eyes swung to Louis. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Louis said, turning around. He looked at Lily. “Good?”

She had her head down and her hands pressed to her temples, but she saw him and nodded. He checked on Hannah and Peter, and the baby who was crying up a storm.

“We should go again,” Louis said. “Now before everyone settles down.”

“Are you sure?” Harry asked.

Louis nodded. “Rip the plaster off,” he said.

Harry understood, turning and gunning the engine back up, while behind them, everyone was still getting their bearings.

“Going for the second,” Harry announced. And again without pause, he triggered the jump.

It was worse the second time around. They probably should have waited for their stomachs to settle. When Louis came to, he had a paper bag to his mouth, and from the sounds of retching behind him, he wasn’t the only one.

Meanwhile Harry was rubbing his back and murmuring soothingly to him.

“Lily,” Louis croaked.

And Harry understood, leaving the cockpit to check on Louis’ daughter. “She’s fine,” Harry called to him. “Everyone’s doing okay.”

Louis leaned his head against the window, and shut his eyes for only a second, and focused on breathing.

When he opened them again, Lily was there at his side.

“Dad,” she said, shaking his shoulder. “Come on.”

Louis’ forehead crinkled as he sat upright. The ship was noticeably quiet, but far off, he heard the voices of his family. “Where is everyone?”

“Come on,” she said again, tugging on his jumper. His helmet had been removed and set in the abandoned driver’s seat. Louis unbuckled himself and stood up carefully, holding onto the walls of the ship for support.

They walked back to the ship’s entrance, the door open, allowing sunlight to trickle in. Louis stepped up to the doorway and peered out.

The first thing he spotted was the ocean, and the horizon perched atop it. The water glowing, a soft pink radiating with sun beams. Tall palm-like trees towered in the air with orange fruit tucked between their leaves. To the west, there were mountains in distance, with snow capped peaks, which didn’t make sense at all given how warm it was. Everything glowed brightly and invitingly, drawing Louis down the steps.

He felt Lily’s hand on his forearm, and he reached back for her, throwing his arm around her shoulders. “Where are the others?”

“On the beach,” she said. “Harry wanted to let you sleep.”

“That was very nice of him,” Louis said.

“He’s talking with grandma now,” Lily said with a cunning smile. “It looks very serious.”

Louis looked at her, eyes narrowed. “Are you joking or no?”

Lily drew an ‘X’ over her heart. Louis picked up the pace, dragging her along with him. The shore came into view, where Lottie, Garen, Hannah, and Pete were all splashing around with their children.

Further back, Harry sat cross-legged beside Jay, their eyes on the horizon, while his mum’s mouth moved. “Go play with your cousins,” Louis said to Lily.

“I’m not a--”

“A kid, yes, I know,” Louis interrupted her. “The whole world and everyone on this planet knows too.”

Lily rolled her eyes and stalked off. Louis strolled over to his mum and Harry. “Hi,” he said, breathlessly. Jay looked up at him through her sunglasses. “Am I interrupting?”

“Yes,” she said. “I’m having a very lovely chat with Prince Hershel.”

“I love chatting myself,” Louis said, plopping down beside his mum, and nudging his shoulder against hers. “Love a good chat. What’s the topic of choice?”

He didn’t miss how Harry’s cheeks turned pink and he looked away. Louis draped his arms atop his knees looking at his mum, who was glaring back at him.

She stood up. “I’ll go help Lottie with the kids,” she said, ruffling his hair.

Louis watched her go, and then he turned to Harry, brows raised.

“She was just asking about my family,” Harry explained. “She was just concerned, that’s all.”

“About what?”

Harry shook his head, twirling a flower stem between his fingers. He extended it to Louis. “This is a very distant relative of the rose,” he said. “It’s called an Osperia. The star warming this planet is slightly cooler than your sun and we’re several light years away, but somehow this plant is able to grow just like the rose does.”

Louis took the red blossom and pressed his nose to it. “That’s amazing,” he said. He lowered the flower, peering over the bright petals at Harry. “So…?”

Harry sighed. “She was concerned about how my family would treat you. If they would welcome you...in the event that...you know.”

“Not really,” Louis said.

“Like if you were to come back with me to my planet and you know…”

“Nope, still don’t know,” Louis said, laughing softly. “Come on, H.”

“Like if things got really serious and you married me or something,” Harry said in one big breath. Louis’ eyes widened. “I know we just met. And it’s not something I expect you to consider any time soon, or at all, if you don’t ever want to. We aren’t even-- It’s just something she wanted reassurance on. That’s all.”

“And you told her...?”

“I told her yes. I’d make sure of it,” Harry said firmly. “Anywhere I'm welcome, you would be too, I promise.”

Louis nodded. “Would that make me king too? Like when you became king? Or would I technically be a queen?”

Harry smirked. “I’m not planning on being king, at all. But yes, you’d be king as well, under those circumstances.”

“Can’t say I mind the sound of that at all,” Louis said, lying backward.

Harry lied down beside him, resting his head on Louis’ chest. Louis combed his fingers through his curls. “You did well getting us here,” he murmured. “And it’s beautiful here. Thank you.”

“Thank you,” Harry replied. “I have a few soldiers here to look after you and your family when I leave. And Nick will be arriving soon enough--”

“About that,” Louis said quietly. “I’m coming with you.”

Harry sat upright, brows creased. “No…”

“Yeah, I am,” Louis said. “I’m going back to Earth with you.”

“Louis, there’s no point--”

“My friends are still there,” Louis said. “And I want to be there with you. Or just with you, in general.”

Harry’s expression softened immediately. He blinked his heavy lashes, dragging a finger through the white sand beneath them. “You want to be with me,” he stated.

“Yes, of course,” Louis said after a second of staring at Harry. He thought he’d made that obvious. Only now was he realizing that he’d never said so.

“Always,” he added. “Maybe I haven’t made it clear enough but I love you, Harry. What I’m feeling for you isn’t something most people get to feel in their lifetime. I know that. Just like I know there’s a chance you won’t come back, that you could die or something.

“They wouldn’t ever kill me,” Harry said.

“You never know how it could happen. It could be an accident. Right now, things are uncertain, yeah? And you might not come back. And if that’s the case, I want to be with you. Wherever it is you end up.”

It was all the soulmate talk getting to him. He hadn’t ever believed in the concept before, but now he scarcely thought of anything else. He knew that if having a soulmate was even possible, Harry was his. And if Harry believed, then Louis sort of had to believe too.

He knew that the thought of Harry jetting off into space and never returning was more terrifying than even the world ending.

Louis lifted his hands to Harry’s face. “I’m coming with you. We’ll figure this out together.”

Harry’s eyes were damp. Even when he tried to hide the fact, the sun shone on his face and caused the tears to sparkle. He nodded, resting his head to Louis’ shoulder.

“As you wish,” he mumbled.

“See?” Louis said. “I’m totally fit to be a king.”

Harry laughed, wrapping his arms around Louis’ torso. “My king, definitely.”

 

° *･✩:*･ﾟ

 

Back on Earth, they met up with another general secretly aligned to Harry’s side named Liam. He greeted Louis with a graceful bow.

“I’ve collected forty who are willing to fight for you against your mother. Thirty others say they won’t fight at all if it comes down to a civil war. Lessening the Queen’s numbers at all works to your advantage,” Liam said.

Harry nodded, rubbing his thumb over the top of Louis’ hand incessantly. “I just need a chance to talk with her. I don't want it to come to a war. I don't want anyone else to die.”

“We’ll get you to the Queen,” Liam swore.

The least they could do was hope.

They spent that night on the ship, parked atop a mountain in Japan just because they could. They still hadn't caught their breath from copious rounds of sex. (Being on the brink of extinction did wonders in the bedroom.) They lay sprawled like starfish on the deck of Harry’s ship, unable to see the stars because of the ships overhead. But the view off Mount Takao was lovely enough.

“If this doesn’t work tomorrow, we’ll get your friends, Zayn and Niall, and whoever else, as many as possible, and we’ll leave. The other soldiers with me can carry plenty more on their own ships. We’ll save who we can,” Harry said.

Louis pushed himself up and climbed into Harry’s lap.

“Again?” Harry questioned.

Louis smiled, shaking his head. “No, I think I’m good for now. Do the aura thing again. Read me.”

“I never really stop reading you,” Harry told him. “Right now, you’re...happy.”

“I am,” Louis said, nodding. “Guess why?”

“Because you’re with me?” Harry questioned.

“Smart prince. And I’ll be with you tomorrow too. Regardless of how this goes down, I’m with you, and that makes me happy,” Louis said. “Okay?”

“Okay,” Harry said.

Louis gave him a kiss, stroking his dimple with his thumb. “You’re going to do fine. You’re going to save the world, baby,” he murmured against Harry’s mouth. “ And even if you don’t, at least you saved mine.”

 

*･ﾟ✧° *･

 

There’s no way to even get in touch with Niall or Zayn with the power shut down. The only things that run at all anymore are the alien ships. And there’s no time for Harry to take Louis to them himself, which leaves General Liam to the task.

“I’ll see you afterwards. When this is all over,” Harry said. “We’ll take that trip around the stars.”

Louis smiled, rising up on his toes to kiss Harry. “Absolutely,” he said. “Good luck.”

Harry squeezed Louis’ hand in his own, and then reluctantly let go, allowing himself to be surrounded by soldiers who ushered him back to the ship. He was already dressed in the pink military garb like the other men. He would slip into his mum’s private cabin and hopefully, somehow, she would listen to her son. If not, perhaps there would be a civil war. And of course, there would be more human lives lost.

Louis boarded the ship with Liam, taking the helmet he handed to him.

“We should pick up Zayn first. He’s closer,” Louis said.

Liam pulled on his own helmet and nodded. “Lead the way.”

Zayn had legitimately built a World War 2 style bomb shelter. His house was boarded up and the door had been bound by chains. A brand-new fence surrounded his property with twisted barbed wire as if _that_ for sure would keep the aliens out. Liam landed the ship atop Zayn’s house, bypassing the fencing, and extended a ladder down to the ground.

The entry to the bomb shelter sat low on the ground by an old tree they used to climb when they were boys. “Zayn,” Louis called, beating on the door. “Really nice piece of work you’ve got here, mate. Very vintage.”

The door flew open. Louis stumbled backward and then Liam came climbing down, wielding an actual gun, which was just unnecessary. Louis shot him a look. “Please put that thing away.”

And then he looked at Zayn and found him with a rifle as well, pointed at Liam.

“For fuck’s sake,” Louis groaned. “Zayn, this is Liam. Liam, Zayn. Friends, not foes.”

He looked at Zayn. “You don’t even know how to use a gun.”

“I’ve been practicing,” Zayn said, lowering his gun. Liam did the same.

“My apologies. Just protecting the prince’s mate,” Liam muttered.

“The who’s who?” Zayn questioned, wide eyes on Louis.

“Yeah…” Louis drawled, wincing. “We’ve got a lot to discuss. Maybe over a pint and a blunt. For now, do you mind boarding the ship?”

“No fucking way,” Zayn said breathlessly. “They’ve probably like taken over your brain or something. You’re probably luring me into the ship so you can--”

“God, can you not be a nerd right now? Yes, the aliens are evil. But this one’s good. And the one I’m with, Harry-- he’s good too. He’s amazing. And I’m still your best mate. And to be really honest, if you don’t come willingly, I’m going to have Liam here knock you out anyway. Because you’re not dying in a fucking ratty ass bomb shelter, man. It’s just not happening.”

“You would have him knock me out?” Zayn asked, eyes narrowed.

“Yes,” Louis said.

Zayn sighed. “Yeah, alright. I think an alien taking over your body might have actually been kinder.”

Louis rubbed the space between his brows. “Now that you’re convinced, can we go? We have to stop at your parents’ and your sister’s dorm. And then we’ve got to get Niall. Let’s _go_. We have to go.”

“One second,” Zayn said, ducking back into his bomb shelter. He came back out with a rucksack that was undoubtedly loaded with his comic books and CDs. Smart thinking, to be honest.

They moved quickly afterwards. Each person they picked up along the way to Niall’s needed some convincing, but eventually they got them all aboard enroute to Ireland. And Niall--God bless him--made life a million times easier by gathering up his whole family and marching onto the ship without question. He even brought beer.

“But what’s he _like_?” Niall questioned, leaning into the cockpit, wiggling his brows at Louis.

Louis shook his head. “You’re _not_ asking about his dick. There’s no way.”

“Is it like some alien hentai shit?” Zayn asked.

Louis dropped his face into his hands. He should have left them all behind. He aggressively refused to answer any questions about Harry’s junk. They flew back to Washington, D.C., where he and Harry parted ways. Only a few hours had passed and so far there hadn’t been any word from Harry or his men.

There were two ways this could go: Either Harry succeeded in talks with his mum and the aliens left, or war broke out and Louis was forced to evacuate with his friends.

They waited on a patch of grass at the National Mall. The White House stood off in the distance, and overhead, hovered Harry’s mum’s ship.

Louis sat with his eyes on the sky, his heart thudding wildly with each second that passed. Zayn and Niall sat beside him, all of them surrendering to the eerie silence of the world.

“You love him?” Zayn murmured beside him.

Louis glared at the ship, wishing he could teleport himself onto it. “Yes.”

And then there was movement. At first, they couldn’t tell how. It was an optical illusion.

“He did it,” Liam reported, standing behind them.

Louis turned to him, his stomach sinking at the somber expression Liam wore. He’d done it, sure, but how?

Zayn started digging around in his pocket and pulled his phone free, vibrating with text messages and voicemails. “Phone’s back on,” he said happily. Louis pretended not to see his Minion lockscreen. He would deal with that issue later.

“Where is he?” Louis said to Liam. “What did he do?”

“He’ll be here shortly,” Liam announced, and offered nothing more.

Louis narrowed his eyes, swinging back around, eyes on the sky. The ships started to separate and slowly elevate towards the sky. Louis paced, back and forth, wearing the earth down beneath his feet. “Come on, babe,” he mumbled. “Come back to me.”

The pink ship was hard to miss when it came into view, growing closer and closer. This one was bigger: not Harry’s ship, but his mum’s. It descended, stirring up wind that tossed Louis’ hair around his head. It touched down, seconds passed, and then the cabin door opened.

Harry climbed out with a big smile on his face. It was scary how quickly Louis picked up on the tenseness of it. Soulmate shit, of course.

He strolled over to Louis, brushing his thumb over his cheek.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” Louis questioned.

Harry shook his head, trying to keep up the fake smile. He glanced at Niall and Zayn. “Hi, I’m Harry,” he said. “You’re free to go home now. War's over.”

“Thanks, mate,” Niall said, raising his beer to him.

Louis tugged on Harry’s shirt. “Look at me,” he said firmly.

Harry’s green eyes floated to him, noticeably shiny now. Louis’ heart sunk. He swallowed and took a breath. “What is it?”

“I have to leave,” Harry said quietly.

Louis didn’t understand. “I’ll go with you. Where do you have to go?”

“No, Louis…” Harry shook his head, biting his lip. “I made a deal with her. To go home and be King. I’ve been away for a long time. I’ve missed a lot of training.”

He was just babbling. None of the words really made sense.

“ _Harry_. I’ll go with you. Wherever you’re going, I’m there,” Louis said.

“I don’t know how long I’ll be gone, Louis. It could be a year or two, three or four. I can’t come back. You want to leave your daughter for that long?” Harry questioned. “You’re going to quit your job? I can’t take you with me anyhow. It was part of the deal. I have to focus now on taking over when my dad passes.”

Louis took a breath. “Why would you make a deal like that?” he squeaked. “You didn’t want that. You don’t even want that.”

Harry looked at him and smiled sadly. “For you,” he said. “Always for you.”

Louis’ eyes stung. “Then when are we going to be together?”

A tiny sob left Harry’s mouth. His bottom lip trembled as he spoke, “I’m not sure we can.”

Louis released a stunned breath, taking a step back as if Harry had pushed him away. “Well, fuck,” he breathed. He covered his face with his hand. “ _Fuck_.”

“I’m sorry,” Harry said, his voice small. “I’m so sorry.”

Louis didn’t answer him for several minutes. Then he lifted his head, dragging his hand beneath his nose. He probably looked gross, with the mucus and the tears. He couldn’t even care. It felt as if half of his heart was being torn away against his will. And in fact, that was exactly the case.

“I’ll wait for you,” he said.

Harry’s eyes widened.

“Why do you look surprised?” Louis said. “I’ll wait for you, Harry. Of course, I will. As long as it takes, I promise.”

Harry’s face crumbled. “I can’t...ask you...to do that,” he warbled.

Louis set his hands on Harry’s waist and tugged him forward, curling his arms around him, squeezing him close. He pressed his nose to the base of Harry’s neck and lowered his damp eyelashes to his cheeks. “You’re not asking me,” he said. “I’ll wait for you. I’ll be here when you come back.”

Harry wrapped his arms around Louis’s body and set his head to his shoulder.

“Please come back to me, love,” Louis murmured.

He felt Harry nod. “I will. I love you, Louis,” he said. He lifted his head, drawing Louis into a firm, desperate kiss. “I’ll always love you.”

“And I you,” Louis replied. “I love you.”

They were alone on that patch of grass. Zayn and Niall had retreated into Liam’s ship to give them privacy. They held each other for as long as they could until there was no choice left but to let go.

 

*･ﾟ★° *･

 

The next few months passed by like a dream. Louis hardly remembered the finer details. Commander Grimshaw brought his family back to Earth that same night, although they were all a little sad to leave Miton so soon.

The European Space Agency contacted Louis and deemed him a space ambassador, which came with a shiny medallion, and an office at the space center if he wanted it.

He was knighted by the queen the following month. Yes, _Sir_ Louis Tomlinson had a fantastic ring to it.

Commander Grimshaw stayed on Earth for a while, as ordered by Harry, along with a whole fleet of environmentalists from Harry’s planet to share conservation tips with humanity, and regulate the climate.

Reparations were made--another stipulation of Harry’s end of the deal. He ensured that his people did all they could to make apologies for the loss of life, aiding in the rebuilding processes where they could. That was the most he could do for now, although when he was king, he promised the people responsible would pay for their choices. Which was fucking hot and Louis absolutely wanted to take him apart in his bedroom.

Except he couldn’t.

One summer afternoon, Harry boarded his ship and disappeared between Navi and Caph.

 

ﾟ*･✧°:･ﾟ

 

On Christmas Eve, there was glitter on his balcony, or what looked like glitter. It was Louis’ birthday, although Christmas was just minutes away now. He returned home from dinner with his parents and Lily, who was asleep now on the couch, and he retreated to his balcony with beer. He spent most nights these days staring up at Cassiopeia.

But tonight, there was glitter on his porch. And it spelled out a word -- Soon.

Louis dropped to his knees, beer bottle forgotten beside him, the throw around his shoulders slipping away. He touched his fingers to the ground, and the consistency was different. He taught children for a living. He knew glitter when he saw it.

This stuff felt almost like sand, but it sparkled and glowed and radiated moonlight. Star dust, Louis thought. He clasped his hand over his mouth.

Harry had messaged him in star dust.

_Soon._

 

ﾟ*･★°:･ﾟ

 

Admittedly, he got too excited about the stardust. Either Harry had no concept of time or his plans had changed.

It was February now. Valentine’s Day to be specific, which for a long time had been Louis’ least favorite holiday. And still was. No matter how many times he swore he didn't care about roses and chocolate, he at least wished there was someone to share the day with.

And technically he had someone now. Just light years away.

He’d stopped expecting Harry when he rounded every corner. He stopped looking for more secret messages. When Harry said soon, he must have meant in another year.

“Alright,” Louis announced to his class, clapping his hands together. “Time for Valentines.”

He started packing away his textbook while his children pulled out the Valentines they’d made for others in their classroom, and began distributing them.

Louis took a sip of his tea on the desk, watching them all bustle around. He turned and started to wipe the chalkboard clean when there was a knock at the door, and in stepped Commander Grimshaw, holding a vase of white osperias.

Louis froze.

“From the King,” Nick said.

Louis’ eyes widened. “Already?”

“As of a month ago,” Nick replied, setting the vase down. He gave a little bow, a big grin on his face. And then he left.

The children were watching him. They must have seen the blush creeping over his cheeks. Louis turned away again and wiped furiously at the chalkboard. He waited until the end of the period when the children had finished with their Valentine’s cupcakes and hot chocolate. They were all pulling on their coats now when Louis plucked the card from the flowers and unfolded it hastily.

**_Very soon! - H_ **

Louis rolled his eyes. His first actual, real message in months, and that was it? He tried to swallow away the soreness in his throat. He thought he’d cried himself dry in the shower but apparently not. He righted his glasses, and exhaled an unsteady breath, slipping the note card into his work bag.

“See you tomorrow!” he told his class as they left the room.

He spent some time sweeping the floors and wiping down the desks. He wanted the building to clear out by the time he left, lest his coworkers pester him with questions about his nonexistent plans for tonight.

He collected all the Valentines the kids had made for him, and stuffed them into his bag to hang on his fridge. He pulled off the back of his chair, pulled it on and threw his scarf around his neck. He left the flowers on his desk, thinking they would be a nice pick-me-up for the rest of the week.

There was a tub of ice cream and a full bottle of wine waiting for him at home, and he was suddenly eager to get his hands on both. He turned away from his classroom and stilled.

No, that wasn’t quite right.

It was more that the universe stilled. Time stopped. Everything froze except the corners of Harry’s rosy lips, curving into a big smile.

“Hello, love,” he said.

And then Louis was running. He threw himself at him, leapt at him, arms going tightly around his waist. They stumbled backward, bodies slamming to the lockers. Louis didn’t even care.

“Oh my God,” Louis breathed, pressing his face into Harry’s chest, breathing him in deeply, like he hadn’t breathed in months. His eyes burned and he let it happen. If any moment was worth his tears, it was this one.

Harry rested his cheek atop Louis’ head, squeezing him close.

“How are you here?” Louis mumbled. “Why didn’t you give me the flowers yourself? Why are you so dramatic?”

Harry laughed softly. “I just got here,” he said. “I didn’t think I’d be able to make it for Valentine’s Day, so I sent Nick. But here I am.”

“ _How?_ ” Louis repeated, drawing back to look at him.

“Well, I’m King Hershel now, which surprisingly comes with a lot of perks. It’s growing on me,” Harry said. “My dad passed much sooner than everyone thought. Not enough time to finish a year’s worth of training.”

“I’m sorry about your dad,” Louis said.

“Thank you. A little while after my coronation, it dawned on me that a king can do whatever he wants,” Harry said, a little smirk growing on his face. He slid his hands up and down Louis back. “And what I wanted--what I _still_ want--is to take a trip around the galaxies with the love of my life.”

Louis thumped his head on Harry’s chest again. “Can we leave like right now?”

“Whenever you want,” Harry said, laughing. “Whatever you want, Louis, it’s yours.”

“I just want you,” Louis said, and then for the first time since last summer, Harry kissed him. And it felt like summertime all over again. Except, you know, minus the alien invasion.

 

ﾟ*･✩°:･ﾟ

 

Every place felt like home so long as Harry was there. Even Halcyon, where most of the people hadn’t yet warmed up to the idea of their king bringing home a human. Louis himself hadn’t been convinced it was a necessary move. After leaving Earth in shame, the last thing the Halcyonians must have wanted was to welcome an Earthling into their territory.

But they welcomed him anyhow, with a month-long celebration and gifts of fruit, wine, and fine jewelry. Louis accepted it all graciously, feeling overwhelmed by the attention of a whole planet. He held Harry’s hand more tightly than ever.

“They’ll warm up to you,” Harry whispered into his ear one night while lying in his bed. “It’s impossible not to.”

“You’re saying that because you love me,” Louis replied.

Harry snuggled closer to him, his nose brushing Louis’ throat. “I’m saying that because everyone should.”

And those were the moments when Louis truly felt like he belonged there, wherever Harry was, because Harry always made him feel completely at peace. Even Halcyon could be home too.

Of course, nothing was more daunting than sitting down with the queen for lunch one morning. She eyed the crown of osperias on Louis’ head. “Do you know what that means? The crown you’re wearing?” she asked carefully, taking a sip of her tea.

Louis shrugged. “I don’t know what any of this stuff means,” he said, gesturing to the pink robe he was wearing, similar to her own.

“It means you’re the King’s betrothed,” she said. “I wore a similar one when I was younger.”

Louis choked on his tea. He set the teacup down and lifted his wide eyes to hers.

“You look terrified,” she said. “Is this your way of saying you have no intentions of marrying him?”

Louis’ brows furrowed. That wasn’t it at all. “No,” he said. “I’ve been married once before, a long time ago. And that time, unfortunately, was a mistake. Marrying Harry won’t be.”

She took a dainty bite of her scone, lifting a brow, inviting him to continue.

“Having been married before, I want to be more careful about things this time around,” Louis explained. “I’d want to have a chance to propose.”

She smiled. “And you want to propose?”

“Eventually, yeah, if you’d be okay with that. I’d like it if you were okay with it,” Louis said. “You know, in spite of you trying to eliminate my race and all.”

The queen sighed. “Yes, I think now is as good a time as any for me to apologize,” she said quietly. She set her hands in her lap. “While my husband was on his deathbed, I took the advice of some very evil people. Harry ran away from home and hardly contacted us at all. I worried about him and missed him constantly. Wanting to see him was my primary motivation for going to earth at all. I realize now that my decisions were wrong, and that they cost many lives. For that, I’m truly sorry.”

Louis took a sip of his tea. “It’s not really me you should apologize to. My family’s all in one piece. I’m sure that the people of Earth would love to hear that though.”

The queen nodded somberly. “Yes, well, I hope to visit again and make my apologies when I do,” she said. “The men who spearheaded the attack have been arrested and are currently awaiting trial.”

“Good to know,” Louis said.

“Now about your intentions to propose,” the queen said. “I have not seen my son so happy in his own home since he was a child. When he walks the halls here, he smiles. When he greets his people, he smiles. And all because you’re standing beside him.”

She shrugged. “To me, I think that says it all. I would be happy to call you family and to see you rule here someday, if you wish.”

Louis wasn’t sure that he did. He would joke with Harry about being a king but sometimes Louis forgot to have breakfast in the morning or spilled tea on his students’ papers. Without Lily reminding him about dentist’s and doctor’s appointments, he probably would never make it to any. Ruling a whole planet wasn’t likely to work out well.

But he thought about Harry and how easy life seemed when he was around. Being a king was a lot less daunting if it meant Louis got to be with him.

“I do,” he said.

And then the queen smiled. “Very well.”

Harry joined them later with his sister, Princess Gemma, and his niece, Haley, in tow. He pressed a kiss to Louis’ forehead before plopping down beside him.

He watched Harry with Haley on his lap and a perpetually lopsided gold crown atop his curls.   He pictured them years into the future just as they were now: perhaps sitting on thrones, surrounded by their own children and Lily too. He saw himself reaching up as he did now--as he always did--and righting Harry’s crown for him.

“Thank you, my love,” Harry murmured.

He pictured Harry saying that and himself responding with a smile. “You’re welcome.”

 

*･ﾟ★° *･

 

“There are four speeds, okay? Regular, Sound, Light, and Turbo Light,” Harry said, pointing to each wedge on the speed dial. He pointed to another switch beside the wheel. “Here’s the teleport button. Never press it unless you have a route entered into the system.”

Louis nodded. “Got it.”

“And don’t use turbo light unless you really need to. There’s just no reason to travel that fast.”

Louis rolled his eyes as discreetly as he could. “Anything else?”

“Remember your seatbelt and to keep the gravity on at all times unless you’re parked.”

“Jesus, okay,” Louis said. “I think I’m good to go. Let’s fire this baby up.”

“Helmet,” Harry reminded him.

“You don’t even wear that when _you’re_ driving…” Louis said.

Harry handed him the helmet. “You _just_ got an intergalactic license, babe. I’ve been driving since I was 14.”

“And yet you narrowly avoided that asteroid last month,” Louis said, sliding the helmet on. “Let’s not get cocky, _babe_.”

Harry eyed him cautiously, and then released a quiet sigh. “You’re going to get us both killed,” he murmured, strapping his seatbelt on. He even pulled on a helmet of his own. He gestured to the keys. “Where to first?”

“Around the Milky Way,” Louis said, turning the keys. Appropriately, Starman began blasting from the speakers, Track One of Louis’ space explorer’s playlist. The engine powered to life.

Harry nodded. “Then if we have time today, we’ll check out Andromeda and maybe, the Whirlpool Galaxy.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Louis said, setting his hand on the speed lever and yanking it down to turbo light. “Hold on tight.”

And then with a victorious cackle, he slapped his foot down on the pedal. And they were off.

 

ﾟ*･✩°:･ﾟ*･ﾟ°The End *･° *･✧:*･ﾟ

 

**Author's Note:**

> As always, thank you for reading, commenting, and being you! Much, much love! x
> 
> [Tumblr](http://alienproof.tumblr.com/) | [Twitter](http://twitter.com/stylinson_city)
> 
> *whispers* Harry is an alien...


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